XN000022-1994-03-22 — Page 5

TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 1994

ONR OTHER ISSUE WHICH IS HYPOTHETICAL AND THE ONLY REAL ARGUMENT AT ALL WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AMENDED THE BILL IN A WAY WHICH WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE AMENDMENTS WE'VE PROPOSED TO THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT. NOW I SUPPOSE THAT COULD HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF DIRECTIONS. I SUPPOSE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COULD EITHER AMEND THE BILL IN A WAY WHICH MADE IT ALLEGEDLY MORE DEMOCRATIC OR IN A WAY WHICH ALLEGEDLY MADE IT LESS DEMOCRATIC. WHAT I'VE SAID TO PEOPLE WHO ARGUED AND ASKED ME QUESTIONS ABOUT THOSE TWO THINGS IS AS YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL, I FIND THAT DRALING WITH THE PROBLEMS OF HONG KONG AS THEY EXIST IS QUITE SUFFICIENT WITHOUT ANSWERING EVERY HYPOTHETICAL PROBLEM AND EVERY HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION WHICH IS PUT TO ME. BUT IT STANDS TO REASON THAT IF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS TO PASS A BILL WHICH WAS NOT IN LINE WITH THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT OR ANY THE AMENDMENT TO THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT, WE WOULD HAVE

TO THINK VERY HARD ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES AND DISCUSS THEM HERE IN HONG KONG AND DISCUSS THEM WITH LONDON. BUT I REPEAT WHAT I HAVE SAID BEFORE AND WHAT I SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, I DON'T INTEND ΤΟ ANSWER EVERY HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION ABOUT AMENDMENTS TO THE BILL AS MRS BEACON SAID WHEN DESCRIBING HOW TO COOK A HARE, FIRST CATCH YOUR HARE AND THAT SEEMS TO ME TO BE THE BEST RESPONSE TO THOSE QUESTIONS. SO I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THIS COMPLETELY SPURIOUS ISSUE CAN NOW BE SET ON ONE SIDE FOR WE CAN TALK ABOUT THINGS WHICH REALLY DO CONCERN PEOPLE LIKE THE BUDGET, LIKE FARE INCREASES, LIKE INFLATION, LIKE PROPERTY PRICES AND LIKE WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE BILL WHICH HAS GONE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. I AM SORRY TO HAVE GONE ON SO LONG ABOUT IT. I DARE SAY THAT I'LL NEVER AGAIN HAVE TO SPEAK IN SUCH LENGTH ON THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT.

QUESTION: BUT DO YOU THINK IT'S HARMFUL TO HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY?

GOVERNOR: I DON'T THINK IT'S REMOTELY HARMFUL TO HONG KONG'S AUTONOMY BECAUSE IT REMAINS OUR POSITION, AS YOU KNOW, THAT IT IS THE JOB OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ΤΟ LEGISLATE ON MATTERS LIKE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS AND SO IT WILL BE UNDER THE BASIC LAW.

QUESTION: DO YOU THINK IT WILL HAVE A PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT AT LEAST ON OTHER LEGISLATORS OTHER THAN EMILY LAU WHO NOW SAID WELL, YOU GOT IT IN THE LETTERS PATENT ANYWAY, OF COURSE YOU WON'T GET IT THROUGH, SO WHY THE HELL SHOULD WE SUPPORT IT?

GOVERNOR: NO, I REALLY DON'T THINK SO. ANYBODY WHO ACTUALLY LISTENS TO WHAT I HAVE SAID AND WHAT FRANKLY MY OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN SAYING SINCE THE END OF LAST WEEK, ANYBODY WHO ACTUALLY LISTENS TO WHAT'S SAID SHOULD I THINK WILL BE ABLE TO REACT RATIONALLY AND CALMLY. THERE IS ONE THING THAT I SHOULD JUST ADD - THE POSITION ON THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT WAS SET OUT ON THE 29TH OF DECEMBER BY C.M.

LEUNG, THE DIRECTORATE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS BRANCH IN EVIDENCE TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. SO I DON'T KNOW AGAIN WHY PEOPLE SHOULD BE PUZZLED OR SURPRISED ABOUT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING.

OF

QUESTION: HOW DOES YOU GOVERNOR.. TO QUESTION OF AGAIN GIVING PEOPLE CONFIRMATION BY THE FACT THAT REPORTERS ASKED REPEATEDLY IN THE FIRST HALF OF JANUARY IF WE CAN GET HOLD OF A COPY OF WHAT IS BETTER THAN ROYAL INSTRUCTION 'S CURRENT COPY TO ADDRESS THIS GOING QUESTION WHAT HAPPENS IF ON THE QUESTION OF

WE WERE TOLD IT DOESN'T EXIST, IT'S ONLY SCOTCH-TAPE VERSION, CUT AND PASTED THINGS AROUND, CAN'T GET ONE TRY IN LONDON AND THEN THIS? SO, YOU SEE THIS LACK OF INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC FIT INTO THIS.

/GOVERNOR