XN000022-1993-12-08 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1993

GOVERNOR: OF COURSE, IF THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD LIKE US TO REVEAL WHAT'S HAPPENED IN 17 ROUNDS OF TALKS, WE'LL BE DELIGHTED TO OBLIGE.

IS THE

WHY WE'VE KEPT THINGS CONFIDENTIAL

THE REASON WHY WE DON'T CHINESE SIDE ARE ALWAYS SAYING THAT IS HOW THEY LIKE US TO CONDUCT THE DISCUSSIONS.

IS I VERY MUCH HOPE THE DISCUSSIONS WILL CONTINUE. THAT OUR OBJECTIVE, AS YOU KNOW, IN TABLING A PARTIAL BILL DEALING WITH WHAT SHOULD BE THE NON-CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES AND I THINK IT IS MORE SENSIBLE TO GET ON WITH THOSE TALKS RATHER THAN TO INDULGE IN ABUSE. WE NEVER ABUSE PEOPLE BUT IF ANYONE'S TALKING ABOUT HONESTY AND TRUTH, I

WHAT'S WOULD BE VERY VERY HAPPY, IN DUE COURSE, TO SET OUT EXACTLY HAPPENED DURING THESE DISCUSSIONS, NOT JUST IN THE 15TH, 16TH AND 17TH ROUNDS BUT IN THE PREVIOUS 14 ROUNDS AS WELL. IF THE CHINESE SIDE THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HONG KONG AND HELPFUL TO OUR RELATIONSHIP, THEN I AM SURE THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND WE IN THE HONG SET KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD BE VERY VERY HAPPY TO OBLIGE WITH THAT AND

ΤΟ THAT OUT AN HONEST ACCOUNT OF WHAT'S HAPPENED. IF I CAN JUST ADD WHILE UNDERLINING THE FACT THAT WE WANT TALKS NOT AN ABUSIVE EXCHANGE, I THINK THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE LOOKING TO CHINESE OFFICIALS THIS

ARE WEEK

MEETING WHO

ΤΟ MAKE IN PEKING, ARE LOOKING TO THEM ABSOLUTELY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE

IN HONG KONG

STRENGTHENING OUR ECONOMY AND IN IMPROVING LIVELIHOOD. I THINK PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD WELCOME SOME CONCRETE ASSURANCES OF THAT. SECONDLY, WHAT I THINK PEOPLE IN HONG KONG LOOKING TO SEE, LOOKING TO HEAR, IS SOME PROPOSALS, SOME IDEAS

CHINESE SIDE ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES THE

ARE OUTSTANDING IN THESE TALKS ABOUT THE THROUGH TRAIN, ABOUT THE ELECTION

AND COMMITTEE

ABOUT THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES. THOSE ARE THE REALLY DIFFICULT ISSUES. THOSE ARE ISSUES ON WHICH THE BRITISH/HONG KONG SIDE HAVE PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS. 30, I STILL VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE WILL HEAR PROPOSALS FROM THE CHINESE SIDE AS WELL

THE WHICH COMMUNITY CAN CONSIDER AND WHICH THE COMMUNITY CAN JUDGE. SO, NO ABUSE FROM

OF

WHICH

US BUT A QUIET DETERMINATION TO GO ON TALKING AND GO ON IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

IT

PEOPLE

OUR

ARE

FROM

STILL

WORKING

QUESTION: GOVERNOR, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK YOU ARE IN A POSITION TO QUESTION THE CREDIBILITY OF THE PWC WHILE YOU YOURSELF ARE NOT HERE AS A RESULT OF FAIR ELECTIONS IN HONG KONG?

CHINESE ARE

WHAT

AUTHORITY

COUNCIL

THE

AND

ARE

TWO THEY

GOVERNOR:

I'VE SAID ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS IS THAT COUNCIL LEGISLATIVE

CLEARLY HAS CONSIDERABLE THAT CREDIBILITY,

MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE OVERWHELMINGLY ELECTED, AND I THINK IT'S VERY STRANGE FOR ONE OR

OFFICIALS TO ABUSE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND SAY THAT

TO NOT GOING

TAKE ANY NOTICE OF THEM DESPITE THE CLEAR CONSTITUTIONAL ROLE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH IS SET OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW AS WELL AS IN THE PRESENT CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG. I THINK IT'S ODD TO SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE ANY NOTICE OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WHICH IS LARGELY ELECTED BUT ARE GOING TO TAKE NOTICE OF THE VIEWS OF CHOSEN ONE OR TWO PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE CHOSEN THEMSELVES, PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY AGREED WITH THEM. ONE MORE.

/QUESTION