XN000022-1994-01-05 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1994

QUESTION: THE SAR PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE IS INTENSIFYING ITS ROLE IN TRANSITIONAL MATTERS AND IT HAS OPENED ITS TALKS

IN BEIJING TODAY, HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT YOUR PREPARATIONS PERHAPS FOR YOUR TRIP TO LONDON THIS MONTH?

GOVERNOR:

QUESTION:

NOT AT ALL.

ARE YOU AFRAID THAT THE OUTCOME, I MEAN THE OUTCOME IS GOING то AFFECT PERHAPS YOUR STRATEGY, AND SPEAKING WITH MR MAJOR SHOULD IT COME UP WITH OTHER PLANS FOR THE ELECTIONS, IF ANY AT ALL?

GOVERNOR: NO, NO. I THINK THAT THE IMPORTANT THING FOR THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG IS TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT IN THE LONG-TERM INTEREST OF HONG KONG AND TO ABIDE BY THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE CAUSE OF THE PRESENT ARGUMENT WHICH I THINK IS UNFORTUNATE IS THAT WE WANT TO PUT IN PLACE FAIR ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTIONS AND SOME OTHER PEOPLE DON'T.

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, WHAT'S YOUR REACTION TO THE NEW NCNA STATEMENT ISSUED THIS AFTERNOON, SAYING THAT THE ACCUSATIONS YOU MADE LAST WEEK AGAINST THE STATEMENT FROM THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE TOTALLY UNFOUNDED?

ARE

GOVERNOR: WELL, I THINK THAT LIFE IS TOO PRECIOUS AND TOO SHORT TO SPEND EVERY HOUR AND EVERY DAY RESPONDING TO EVERY NCNA STATEMENT. BUT THERE IS AN EXPRESSION IN ENGLISH LITERATURE: ME THINKS THEY DO PROTEST TOO MUCH. I THINK THAT THE POSITION IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR AND I REPEAT IT. WE HAVEN'T, THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAVEN'T YET AGREED ON, LET ALONE STARTED TO CONSIDER ALL THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1995, FOR INSTANCE, HOW THEREFORE CAN THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE SAY THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS ARE AGAINST THE BASIC LAW. SECONDLY, THE POSITION AS FAR AS DISTRICT BOARDS AND MUNICIPAL COUNCILS IS PERFECTLY CLEAR. NOTHING THAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED IS AGAINST THE BASIC LAW. SO I REALLY DO THINK THAT OTHERS SHOULD READ THE BASIC LAW AS CAREFULLY AS THE GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG HAS DONE.

QUESTION: LU PING SAYS THAT YOU ARE NOT CO-OPERATIVE BECAUSE YOU DO NOT LET THE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO HAVE CONTACTS WITH PWC MEMBERS, SO DO YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSE?

GOVERNOR:

YES I DO. THE BEST WAY OF ENSURING THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG, THE BEST WAY OF ENSURING THAT WE CO-OPERATE, THE BEST WAY OF SECURING OUR PROSPERITY IS TO TRY TO ENSURE THAT RATHER MORE IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE EXISTING CHANNELS FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA. I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, SO WOULD THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG. I'D LIKE TO SEF US MAKE MORE PROGRESS ON THE AIRPORT, SO WOULD EVERYBODY IN HONG KONG. THOSE ARE THE CHANNELS THAT WE'VE GOT TO MAKE WORK AND I HOPE THAT DIRECTOR LU PING'S STATEMENT MEANS THAT HE IS REALLY NOW COMMITTED ΤΟ GETTING IN TOUCH WITH AMBASSADOR GUO TO ENSURE THAT WE GET TO MOVE ON IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. AS FOR THE PARTICULAR POINT ABOUT THE PWC, I AM AFRAID THE CHARGE IS MIS-DIRECTED BECAUSE WE'VE SAID THAT WE ARE CONTENTED FOR GOVERNMENT TO INFORM THE PWC ABOUT MATTERS THAT INTEREST THEM JUST AS WE INFORM OTHER OUTSIDE GROUPS. WE ARE A VERY OPEN GOVERNMENT AND WE BELIEVE IN KEEPING PEOPLE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON. IF MEMBERS OF THE PWC HAVE QUESTIONS WHICH THEY WANT US TO ANSWER FOR THEM WE'LL BE DELIGHTED TO DO IT.

/QUESTION: