XN000022-1993-12-29 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1993

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GOVERNOR SPEAKS TO MEDIA

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OFFICIATING AT THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY OF THE TIAN TAN BUDDHA ON LANTAU ISLAND TODAY (WEDNESDAY):

GOVERNOR: GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM VERY HONOURED TO HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TAKE PART IN THE OPENING OF THIS GREAT BUDDHA TODAY. I AM SURE THAT IT WILL PROVIDE A VISION AND GREAT INSPIRATION TO HONG KONG AND TO CHINA AND THE WORLD. IT'S A MARVELLOUS ACCOMPLISHMENT BY THE BUDDHIST COMMUNITY AND I CONGRATULATE THEM VERY WARMLY ON IT.

QUESTION: MR GOVERNOR, DO YOU THINK THE HKMAO STATEMENT IS REASONABLE? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY?

GOVERNOR: I DON'T THINK THAT TODAY WHEN WE WERE CELEBRATING A RELIGIOUS OCCASION IS THE TIME FOR GREAT POLITICAL ARGUMENTS. THERE WILL BE MANY CHANCES OVER THE NEXT THREE AND HALF YEARS OF HAVING EXCHANGES ABOUT THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG, BUT I MUST SAY THAT AS A NUMBER OF HONG KONG LEGISLATORS POINTED OUT YESTERDAY, THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE STATEMENT ISN'T A VERY ATTRACTIVE CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. IT'S A SURPRISING STATEMENT IN VERY MANY WAYS BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE A REFLECTION NOT OF THE RULE OF LAW BUT OF THE RULE OF MAN, IT APPEARS THAT THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE HAVE THE POWER OF CLAIRVOYANCE BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS CONSIDER OR PASS LEGISLATION ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS, THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE SAY THAT THEY WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. EVEN IF THAT WAS REASONABLE, IT'S CLEAN AGAINST THE BASIC LAW ITSELF, ARTICLE 160 FOR EXAMPLE. IT'S NOT A MATTER FOR THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE TO DECIDE WHAT IS OR IS NOT IN LINE WITH THE BASIC LAW. IT'S A MATTER FOR THE NPC STANDING COMMITTEE. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE THINK THEY ARE DOING. THEIR POSITION APPEARS TO BE THAT WHATEVER HONG KONG PEOPLE WANT, WHATEVER THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DISCUSSES, WHATEVER WE PROPOSE IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE AND SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS WILL THROW IT OUT, WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT. BUT, WHERE ARE OUR PROPOSALS ON "SINGLE SEAT, SINGLE VOTE” AGAINST THE BASIC LAW? WHERE ARE OUR PROPOSALS FOR HAVING THE VOTING AGE AT 18, WHERE IS THAT AGAINST THE BASIC LAW? WHERE ARE OUR PROPOSALS ON MEMBERSHIP OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS AGAINST THE BASIC LAW? THE TRUTH IS THAT, I AM AFRAID, THEY APPEAR TO BE MAKING UP THE LAW AS THEY GO ALONG. I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF US REALLY BELIEVE THAT STAMPING ONE'S FOOT IS AN ADEQUATE SUBSTITUTE FOR A POLICY FOR THE LONG-TERM STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG. SO I HOPE THAT OVER THE NEXT THREE AND HALF YEARS, RATHER WISER COUNSEL WILL PREVAIL. I AM SURE THAT IF PEOPLE ARE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, THAT WILL BE WHAT HAPPENS, THAT WILL BE THE SITUATION AND IT WILL BE IN ALL OUR INTERESTS WHEN THAT HAPPENS.

QUESTION MR PATTEN, WHAT YOU MEANT IS THAT THE STATEMENT IS AGAINST THE BASIC LAW AND THE JOINT DECLARATION?

GOVERNOR: I MEAN EXACTLY WHAT I'VE SAID AND I'VE MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN MY REMARKS. I COULDN'T HAVE MADE IT ANY CLEARER.

QUESTION: WILL YOU CLARIFY THIS POINT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE?

/GOVERNOR