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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1994
GOVERNOR: I VERY MUCH WELCOME THE CONSTRUCTIVE STATEMENT MADE BY THE CHINESE VICE PREMIER AND FOREIGN MINISTER, MR QIAN QICHEN. I THOUGHT IT WAS A HELPFUL, CREATIVE RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES THAT FACES US ALL OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. IT'S A MATTER, I THINK, OF GENUINE REGRET TO THE BRITISH SIDE, TO THE CHINESE SIDE, AND TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT WE WEREN'T BE ABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT ON THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/95. I REPEAT A MATTER OF GENUINE REGRET ALL ROUND. BUT BECAUSE WE WEREN'T BE ABLE TO AGREE ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO AGREE ON MOST OTHER ISSUES. WE DO NEED TO CO-OPERATE. WE DO NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I NOTICE THAT MR QIAN QICHEN STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING TOGETHER, OF CO-OPERATING TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S LIVELIHOOD AND TO PROTECT THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO DO. TODAY ON A VISIT LIKE THIS, ONE SEES ALL THE WELFARE AND LIVELIHOOD ISSUES · THAT GENUINELY CONCERN PEOPLE. WE WANT TO CO-OPERATE IN THE INTEREST OF ALL THE FAMILIES WHO LIVE IN HONG KONG. SO, ON ISSUES LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, ON THE SORT OF ISSUES THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, TECHNICAL ONES, ONES THAT VERY OFTEN HAVE NO REAL CONTROVERSIAL, POLITICAL CONTENT, PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WANT TO SEE US GET ON TOGETHER AND WORK POSITIVELY TOGETHER AND CO-OPERATE TOGETHER. I AM SURE THAT MR QIAN QICHEN WOULD AGREE WITH ME THAT PEOPLE EXPECT US NOT JUST TO USE WORDS LIKE CO-OPERATE BUT TO CO-OPERATE IN PRACTICE. AND I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT IS WHAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO DO. THE JOB THAT LIES IN FRONT OF US IS A DIFFICULT ONE. NOBODY DOUBTS THAT. WHAT BRITAIN AND CHINA AND HONG KONG ARE TRYING TO DO HAS NEVER BEEN DONE BEFORE IN QUITE THIS WAY. SO, THE REQUIREMENT ON US TO WORK CLOSELY TOGETHER AND SINCERELY TOGETHER AND CONSTRUCTIVELY TOGETHER IS A VERY CONSIDERABLE ONE. AND I REPEAT THAT I WELCOME THE STATEMENT MADE BY MR QIAN QICHEN EARLIER TODAY.
QUESTION: DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE WILL MEET AGAIN?
GOVERNOR: NO, BUT THERE ARE DISCUSSIONS TAKING PLACE BETWEEN OUR EXPERTS то CLEAR UP SOME ISSUES WHICH I THINK THE CHINESE SIDE HAS RAISED AND I'M SURE THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS WILL LAY THE FOUNDATIONS FOR A MEETING OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE IN DUE COURSE. BUT NO DATE HAS YET BEEN FIXED.
QUESTION: RELATED TO THE PETITION ON RENTALS)
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GOVERNOR: I HAVEN'T READ THE PETITION YET ABOUT THE RENTALS. BUT WHEN I HAVE READ IT, I'LL RESPOND TO IT POSITIVELY AND WILL RESPOND TO PUBLICLY AS WELL. 80, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE AN ANSWER TO IT.
QUESTION: WHAT'S YOUR VIEWS ON THE PROPOSAL OF INCREASING THE RATES.
/GOVERNOR
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