XN000022-1994-04-09+10 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, APRIL 9, 1994

OUR MAIN CONCERN HAS TO BE TO HELP MR XI YANG HIMSELF. OUR MAIN CONCERN HAS TO BE TO AVOID DOING OR SAYING ANYTHING WHICH MIGHT MAKE HIS VERY DIFFICULT POSITION EVEN MORE DIFFICULT AND THAT'S BEEN WHAT 15 PRIMARILY MOTIVATED US FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR So. AGAIN, WITHOUT GOING INTO DETAIL, WE'VE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH HIS EMPLOYERS AND WE'VE HAD REGULAR CONTACTS WITH THE JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T WANTED TO DO OR SAY THINGS WHICH WOULD PREJUDICE HIS POSITION IN ANY WAY AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO REMEMBER ALL THE TIME THAT WHILE THERE ARE HERE FOR MANY PROPLE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES OF PRINCIPLE, THERE IS ALSO AN INDIVIDUAL FACING A

VERY, VERY SEVERE PRISON SENTENCE WHICH ALL OF US MUST HOPE CAN BE APPEALED AND CAN BE DEALT WITH VERY LENIENTLY. SO, I HOPE WE CAN BEAR THAT IN MIND AND I REPEAT WHAT THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAS SAID AND WHICH I SAID AGAIN IN LONDON YESTERDAY, WE WANT TO HAVE MORE FACTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CASE, SOME ASPECTS OF WHICH REMAIN EXTREMELY MURKY. WE WANT TO KNOW IN THE INTERESTS OF YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HERE IN HONG KONG WHAT EXACTLY THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ARE FOR COVERING PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN CHINA FOR HONG KONG JOURNALISTS. AND WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT MR XI YANG'S FAMILY AND EMPLOYERS AND LEGAL ADVISERS WILL BE GIVEN EARLY ACCESS TO HIM SO AS TO DISCUSS AN APPEAL AND WE HOPE THAT APPEAL CAN BE HELD PROMPTLY AND CAN BE DEALT WITH LENIENTLY. I DO HOPE THAT SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTH OF FEELING ON THIS ISSUE IN HONG KONG WHICH GOES, I REPEAT, RIGHT ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM AND I HOPE THEY UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG FEEL AS WE DO ON THIS CASE.

QUESTION: DID YOU DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF, I MEAN, THE NATIONALITY OF ETHNIC MINORITIES IN YOUR MEETING WITH ....?

GOVERNOR: I DISCUSS THEM WITH OFFICIALS. I DIDN'T DISCUSS THEM ON THIS OCCASION WITH THE HOME SECRETARY.·

QUESTION: WHAT IS THE STATE OF FEELING NOW INSIDE THE HOUSE AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ON THIS ISSUE?

GOVERNOR: I THINK THAT SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS WHICH I PUT HAVE BECOME FAMILIAR ΤΟ BRITISH OFFICIALS. BUT THERE IS STILL, AS I THINK YOU WOULD KNOW, BOTH AMONG POLITICIANS AND OFFICIALS SOME OF THE

RESERVATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED IN THE PAST.

QUESTION: THE EMPLOYER OF MING PAO CALLING THAT THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY FOREIGN INTERVENTION OR POLITICISING THE XI YANG CASE. IS THE GOVERNMENT AND THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSE AND REACTIONS TO THAT WILL TRY TO HAMPER THE MING PAO'S DEALING OF THE XI YANG CASE?

GOVERNOR: NO.

I THINK THAT WHAT I HAVE SAID VERY MUCH REFLECTS OUR CONCERN AND TO PROCEED IN A FIRM BUT MODERATE WAY.

REQUESTED THE DOUGLAS HURD

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL YESTERDAY BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO TRY TO ARRANGE A MEETING BETWEEN AND THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO BRITAIN. DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HELP IN ANY WAY?

/GOVERNOR: