XN000022-1994-01-05 — Page 6

5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1994

QUESTION:

GOVERNOR: WELL, ONE OBJECTIVE, THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE IS TO MEET AND GIVE EVIDENCE TO THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS WHICH IS TAKING EVIDENCE ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA AND HONG KONG. IT'S DOING A REPORT. AS YOU KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE WERE HERE NOT VERY LONG AGO AND THEY'VE GOT TWO MORE WITNESSES, I THINK, TO HEAR FROM. ONE IS THE 28TH GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG AND THE OTHER IS THE, WHATEVER IT IS, FOREIGN SECRETARY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM, WHO IS GIVING EVIDENCE WEEK AFTER I AM. BUT WHILE I'M IN LONDON I WILL BE TALKING TO PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND OTHER MINISTERS OFFICIALS AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, TALKING TO THEM BOTH BECAUSE THEY AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HONG KONG PARTICULARLY AT THIS JUNCTURE IN OUR AFFAIRS, AND TALKING TO THEM AS WELL AS THEIR PERSONAL FRIENDS.

WHAT'S YOUR OBJECTIVE FOR THE TRIP TO LONDON?

THE

THE

AND

TAKE

QUESTION: IS THIS TRIP

THE FEARS OF LOSING PUBLIC SUPPORT OR HONG KONG SUPPORT OR ALSO LOSING PARTY SUPPORT IN LONDON?

GOVERNOR:

NO.

NOW,

IN THE TRIP IN LONDON, WILL YOU DECIDE WHEN WILL QUESTION: THE REST PART OF THE REFORM BILL TO LEGCO?

YOU PUT

I

THE

WITH

AM

THIS

GOVERNOR : WE ARE OBVIOUSLY CONSIDERING THE TIMETABLE. OUR POSITION IS THAT WE PUBLISHED THIS PARTIAL LEGISLATION, INTRODUCED IT INTO LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN ORDER TO TRY TO GIVE US MORE TIME TO DEAL THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES. THE BILL IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED BY LEGCO IN THE SORT OF RATIONAL AND SENSIBLE WAY THAT YOU EXPECT. SURE THAT WHEN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAVE FINISHED CONSIDERING BILL, WHICH IS THE SECOND OF THE BILL WE BROUGHT FORWARD, THE FIRST WAS THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION BILL, I AM SURE THAT AFTER THIS THEY'LL WANT TO GET ON TO THE FINAL BILL. I STILL HOPE THAT THAT

BE ON THE BASIS OF AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA. CAN

WE WANT TO GO ON TALKING AND I AM SORRY THAT CHINESE OFFICIALS APPEAR TO

RULED HAVE THAT OUT. BUT I THINK IT'S A QUESTION OF, AS WE HAVE DONE ALREADY, PROCEEDING IN AN ORDERLY WAY, ONE STEP AT A TIME AND WE ARE TAKING THE SECOND STEP, THE THIRD STEP WILL COME A BIT LATER. EACH OF THE STEPS WE'VE TAKEN, IF I MAY SAY SO, HAS ENJOYED AN ASTONISHING LEVEL OF SUPPORT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AS WELL AS SUBSTANTIAL SUPPORT IN HONG PERHAPS KONG. I CAN'T THINK OF A PERIOD IN THE LAST 10 OR 15 YEARS, EVEN LONGER, WHEN THERE HAS BEEN A BROADER BASIS OF SUPPORT IN BRITAIN FOR WHAT'S BEING DONE. IT DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T SOME CRITICAL,

DOESN'T MEAN THERE AREN'T SOME WHO THINK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY. UNITED KINGDOM IS AN OPEN

KONG

BUT AND YOU WOULD EXPECT THAT. LIKE HONG

I CAN'T ANOTHER ISSUE AT THE MOMENT WHICH HAS, BROADLY SPEAKING, OF THE LABOUR PARTY, AND THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY AS WELL AS THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY. ONE LAST QUESTION.

IT

THE

WHO

ARB THINGS SOCIETY THINK OF

SUPPORT

/QUESTION: