XN000022-1994-03-16 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1994

GOVERNOR: NO. IT HASN'T STOPPED. THERE'VE BEEN TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL COURSES AT QING HUA UNIVERSITY AND THERE WILL BE ANOTHER COURSE SHORTLY. BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO IMPACT ON THE PROGRAMME SO FAR AS I AM AWARE AS A RESULT OF THE UNFORTUNATE BREAKDOWN IN TALKS ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT.

QUESTION: A REPORT IN THE EASTERN EXPRESS THIS MORNING QUOTED A CHINESE OFFICIAL AS SAYING THAT THE CATHAY PACIFIC... WOULD AMALGAMATE WITH CAAC AFTER 1997....?

GOVERNOR: I HAVE SEEN THE STATEMENT THAT CATHAY PACIFIC PUT OUT EARLIER TODAY WHICH IS A WHOLLY ACCURATE REFLECTION OF WHAT IT SAYS IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. I WAS VERY STRUCK THE OTHER DAY BY AN INTERESTING SPEECH THAT DIRECTOR LU PING MADE IN WHICH HE DESCRIBED HONG KONG AS A GOLDEN BRIDGE FOR CHINA AND IN WHICH HE UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERYONE INCLUDING OFFICIALS IN PEKING STANDING BY THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW AND I THINK THAT THIS IS A CASE WHERE THAT POINT NEEDS TO BE UNDERLINED. THE JOINT DECLARATION IS ABSOLUTELY CLEAR ABOUT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR AIR SERVICE AGREEMENT AND RELATED MATTERS AFTER 1997. AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANY SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIAL WOULD EVEN THINK ABOUT CHANGING THAT.

QUESTION: CAN THE CIVIL SERVANTS' RECORDS BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE CHINESE BEFORE 1997?

GOVERNOR : WE'VE SAID BEFORE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS, GOING

BACK, I THINK, ΤΟ THE LATE 1980'S THAT WE WOULD WANT TO DISCUSS AT THE APPROPRIATE MOMENT WITH CHINESE OFFICIALS THE CAREER DEVELOPMENT OF

LOCAL CIVIL SERVANTS IN HONG KONG. AND, OF COURSE, THAT MEANS SURE THAT THEIR CURRICULUM, THEIR CURRICULUM VITAE ARE KNOWN, THE BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS ABOUT THEIR PUBLIC SERVICE CAREERS. THAT IS NOTHING PARTICULARLY SECRETIVE OR CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT THOSE. PEOPLE WOULD KNOW THOSE, I GUESS, FROM LOOKING AT THE STRAIGHT-FORWARD SERVICE RECORDS.

CIVIL

QUESTION: CAN YOU GIVE US YOUR RESPONSE TO THE DEMONSTRATIONS TODAY?,

GOVERNOR: I WAS INTERESTED IN THE LARGEST OF THE DEMONSTRATIONS WHICH WAS IN FAVOUR OF A GOOD PENSION SCHEME FOR THE ELDERLY, WE'VE PROPOSED,

YOU KNOW, SOME SENSIBLE PROPOSALS FOR THE RETIREMENT INCOME OF OLD PEOPLE. WE'VE GOT AT PRESENT CONSULTANTS WHO ARE LOOKING AT THE FULL FEASIBILITY STUDY. THEY WILL BE REPORTING IN THE SUMMER AND I HOPE THAT THE DEBATE CAN COME TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION AFTER THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY IS PUBLISHED.

QUESTION: THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER TODAY SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD CO-OPERATE WITH THE BRITISH SIDE IN SOME ASPECTS. HOW CAN YOU SEE THE CO-OPERATION..? WHEN WILL THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE HOLD ITS MEETING?

/GOVERNOR