XN000022-1994-04-21 — Page 2

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1994

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STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR TO LEGCO

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FOLLOWING IS

THE

STATEMENT BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (THURSDAY):

MR PRESIDENT,

I AM PLEASED TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL. JUST FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS THE 15TH OCCASION ON WHICH I HAVE NOW DONE SO. TODAY I PROPOSE TO REPORT ON MY RECENT VISIT TO LONDON, AND TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE NEWLY PUBLISHED REPORT BY THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

IN

1 VISITED LONDON FROM MARCH 30 TO APRIL 9. BEFORE ARRIVING LONDON, I WENT TO DUBLIN TO DELIVER THE INDEPENDENT LECTURE ON THE IMPORTANT TOPIC OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH, WHILE IN DUBLIN, I HAD MEETINGS WITH THE IRISH PRIME MINISTER, MR ALBERT REYNOLDS AND EDITORS OF THE PRINCIPAL IRISH NEWSPAPERS.

AS HONOURABLE MEMBERS KNOW, LIKE MY PREDECESSOR I BELIEVE IT IS VALUABLE TO MAKE SHORT, REGULAR VISITS TO THE UK ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR. THIS VISIT FELL INTO THAT PATTERN. I HAD A SERIES OF USEFUL MEETINGS. I HAD LUNCH WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MEETINGS WITH MR GOODLAD AND SENIOR FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS, PLUS MEETINGS WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER CABINET MINISTERS AND MINISTERS.

HAD A

LENGTHY TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, WHOM I DID NOT SEE ON THIS OCCASION BECAUSE HE WAS IN HIS HUNTINGDON CONSTITUENCY. IT WAS USEFUL FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO UPDATE HIM AND OTHERS ON HOW THINGS ARE GOING IN HONG KONG AND TO UNDERLINE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE IMPORTANCE ΤΟ US OF THE UNCONDITIONAL RENEWAL OF MFN. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAVE ALREADY EMPHASISED THIS AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION. THEY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO AS WE APPROACH THE DEADLINE FOR A DECISION. THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL BE LEAVING FOR WASHINGTON TOMORROW ON AN IMPORTANT VISIT, DURING WHICH SHE EXPECTS TO MEET AN INFLUENTIAL CROSS-SECTION OF SENIOR MEMBERS IN THE ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS, AND COVER A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES OF INTEREST ΤΟ HONG KONG, INCLUDING MFN. WE ALL WISH HER WELL ON

HER IMPORTANT MISSION.

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AS

WHILE IN LONDON I ALSO HAD A MEETING WITH LADY THATCHER. ONE OF THE SIGNATORIES OF THE JOINT DECLARATION SHE CONTINUES TO KEEP A CLOSE INTEREST IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS, AND I HAVE KEPT IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH HER OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

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IN LONDON I FOUND CONTINUING INTEREST AND SOLID SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO IN HONG KONG, AND A GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF WHY WE MUST ENSURE

WITH OUR CHINESE COLLEAGUES

THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. I ALSO FOUND CONSIDERABLE ADMIRATION FOR AND INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S CONTINUING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SUCCESS STORY.

/SHORTLY AFTER