XN000022-1993-12-17 — Page 5

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1993

3

ORGANISED

FROM JANUARY TO MARCH, A COOKING COMPETITION JOINTLY WITH ASIA TELEVISION LTD WILL BE HELD FOR PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS.

THIS COMPETITION WILL BE THE CLOSING EVENT OF THE WHOLE RANGE

LARGE-SCALE OF ACTIVITIES CELEBRATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF

PUBLIC

HOUSING, 1953.

DECEMBER AFTER THE SHEK KIP MEI SQUATTER AREA FIRE ON

25,

BRITAIN READY TO TALK ANY TIME

UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO BRING FORWARD THE PROPOSALS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENT, THE BRITISH SIDE IS TALK WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AT ANY TIME, THE GOVERNOR, CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

REST OF

PREPARED THE RT

THE

TO

HON

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING THE KWAI SHING SCHOOL OF THE SPASTICS ASSOCIATION OF HONG KONG, MR PATTEN SAID: "OUR POSITION NOW IS THAT WE'VE INTRODUCED OUR PARTIAL LEGISLATION BECAUSE THE LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE TIMETABLE MADE THAT ESSENTIAL.

"WE'VE GOT A BIT OF TIME AND UNTIL WE HAVE ΤΟ BRING FORWARD THE REST OF THE PROPOSALS, WE ARE PREPARED TO TALK WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AT ANY TIME. THAT REMAINS OUR POSITION.

TABLE. WE

"WE ARE NOT GOING TO WALK AWAY FROM THE NEGOTIATING ARE GOING TO LEAVE OUR PAPERS ON THE TABLE AND WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE THE DOOR OPEN. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WON'T CLOSE THE DOOR."

IF

ASKED TO RESPOND TO REMARKS BY A CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ON ENDING THE TALKS, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "I THINK THAT THAT'S THE CHINESE POSITION, THEY WOULD WANT TO DRAW OUR ATTENTION IT FORMALLY. BUT I HOPE THAT IS NOT THE CONSIDERED CHINESE POSITION.

TO

Fr

THE GOVERNOR NOTED THAT IN AN OPINION POLL THIS MORNING, OVER 60 PER CENT OF THOSE WHO WERE QUESTIONED DID NOT BELIEVE THAT TABLING THE PARTIAL LEGISLATION SHOULD BE TAKEN AS A REASON FOR BREAKING OFF THE TALKS.

"AS THE CHINESE SIDE KNOW PERFECTLY WELL, WE TABLED THE PARTIAL LEGISLATION WHICH I THINK HAS BEEN WIDELY WELCOMED IN THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO GIVE OURSELVES SOME MORE TIME FOR THE TALKS. THAT REMAINS OUR POSITION," HE ADDED.

0

PENSION SCHEME SHOULD DO THING THE HK WAY

IF HONG KONG WANTS TO AVOID THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN CREATED ELSEWHERE, WE NEED TO HAVE A SENSIBLE OLD AGE PENSION SCHEME WHICH DOES THINGS THE HONG KONG WAY ONLY GETTING OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE PREPARED TO PAY IN.

—

PATTEN

THIS WAS STATED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAMME AT LI CHENG UK ESTATE.

/IN REPLY

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