XN000022-1994-05-04 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1994

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TRANSCRIPT OF GOVERNOR'S MEDIA SESSION

THE FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEDIA SESSION BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, AFTER VISITING WAN CHAI DISTRICT THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON:-

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO MR LU'S COMMENT YESTERDAY THAT POLITICAL ATMOSPHERE IS NOT RIGHT FOR ACTUALLY MEETING HIM?

GOVERNOR: I DON'T HONESTLY THINK THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WANT TO SEE, NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, DIRECTOR LU AND ME ON TELEVISION EXCHANGING VIEWS ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD. ALL I'D LIKE TO SAY IS THAT I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG WOULD LIKE US TO MEET AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HONG KONG INCLUDING QUITE A FEW MEMBERS, I UNDERSTAND, OF THE PWC THINK THAT IF THE ATMOSPHERE ISN'T RIGHT AT THE MOMENT, THE BEST WAY OF IMPROVING THE ATMOSPHERE IS FOR US TO TALK TOGETHER.

QUESTION: BUT, DO YOU AGREE WITH MR LU WHO SAID THAT YOU WERE NOT SO FRIENDLY TO PWC MEMBERS?

GOVERNOR: I AM FRIENDLY TO THE INTEREST OF HONG KONG,

QUESTION: DO YOU THINK AN ACTIVE ROLE TO CONTACT PWC MEMBERS OR TO MEET THEM.

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GOVERNOR: NO, WE HAVE AGREED, BETWEEN THE PRESENT SOVEREIGN POWER AND THE FUTURE SOVEREIGN POWER, CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS WHICH WE'VE GOT TO SEE WORK. WE'VE GOT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, WE'VE GOT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE. WE'VE GOT THE LAND COMMISSION. I WAS PLEASED WITH THE AGREEMENTS MADE IN THE LAND COMMISSION THE OTHER DAY. I LISTENED TO WHAT DIRECTOR LU HAD TO SAY YESTERDAY ABOUT THE AIRPORT FINANCING AND IF THAT SUGGESTS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE THAT MATTER SOON, THEN, EVERYBODY WILL THROW THEIR HATS IN THE AIR. YOU KNOW, IT WILL OBVIOUSLY BE NICE IF WE'VE GOT MORE GOOD NEWS BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

TO MR

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, WILL YOU SEND YOUR BEST REGARD AND WISHES LU'S SICKNESS AND USING THAT AS A CHANCE TO OPEN A DIALOGUE?

GOVERNOR: I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT HE IS NOT WELL. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT HE GETS BETTER SOON AND IS ABLE TO ENJOY THE FOOD AND THE COMFORTS OF BEING IN HONG KONG WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO EAT IN THE WORLD. I AM SORRY IF SOMETHING HE ATE DISAGREED WITH HIM BUT I WISH HIM A VERY FULL RECOVERY.

QUESTION: WOULD YOU LIKE TO EXPLAIN WHY YOU MET COMMISSIONER OF POLICE THIS MORNING?

GOVERNOR: I QUITE REGULARLY MEET THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE.

QUESTION: ABOUT HIS EARLY RETIREMENT?

GOVERNOR: THERE IS NO QUESTION OF THE COMMISSIONER'S EARLY RETIREMENT.

QUESTION: HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TO EXTEND HIS WORKING PERIOD FOR ONE TWO YEARS?

OR

/GOVERNOR:

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