XN000022-1994-05-20 — Page 3

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FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1994

GOVERNOR MEETS REPORTERS AFTER LEGCO LUNCH

FOLLOWING IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER LUNCH WITH LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS TODAY (FRIDAY):

GOVERNOR: TO SAVE YOU THE JOURNEY TO THE AIRPORT THIS THOUGHT I MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS NOW.

EVENING

I

WE

I AM GOING TO LONDON THIS EVENING FOR PRINCIPALLY TALKS AND A NUMBER OF SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS NEXT WEEK IN ENGLAND. I'VE GOT MEETINGS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR GOODLAD, FOREIGN OFFICE OFFICIALS AND HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS. OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE MAIN SUBJECTS OF MY DISCUSSIONS WILL BE THE RESPONSE ΤΟ THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REPORT AND TO THE RECENT AMNESTY REPORT. AIM TO MAKE OUR REPLY DURING JUNE, BEFORE THE END OF JUNE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY THE TIME WHEN I WANT TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE WITH BRITISH MINISTERS AND WE'LL BE DISCUSSING IT IN THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AS WELL IN DUE COURSE. I'VE GOT A NUMBER OF SPEECHES. I AM SPEAKING TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP; I AM SPEAKING TO THE CONSERVATIVE PARLIAMENTARY BACK BENCH COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, AND I'VE GOT THREE OTHER MAJOR SPEAKING INVITATIONS. ONE OF THEM,

I PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT, IS THE ANNUAL MANCHESTER LECTURE, WHERE AM

GIVE ME SPEAKING ON FREE TRADE IN HONG KONG, AND THAT'S GOING TO THE OPPORTUNITY OF VISITING CHINA TOWN IN MANCHESTER AND SEEING MEMBERS OF OUR HONG KONG COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH-WEST OF ENGLAND. SO IT'S QUITE A BUSY PROGRAMME. I'LL BE BACK IN JUST OVER A WEEK'S TIME.

QUESTION:

(SACKING OF ANTHONY CHEUNG AS ADVISER)

GOVERNOR: WELL, THE QUESTION OF APPOINTMENT OF ADVISERS BY CHINA IS A MATTER FOR CHINESE OFFICIALS BUT I THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED WOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THE OPINIONS WHICH MOST PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT THE PRESENT ATTITUDE OF SOME CHINESE OFFICIALS TO THESE MATTERS.

QUESTION:

IN WOULD YOU LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE LACK OF PROGRESS LAND AND DEFENCE TALKS?

THE

GOVERNOR:

ONE

BE

WELL, THOSE TALKS HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVEN YEARS. OF THE REASONS WHY THEY HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR SO LONG IS THAT THEY DO INVOLVE SOME PRETTY DIFFICULT ISSUES. I THINK WE'VE SEEN THAT AGAIN IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT BOTH TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD TO TRY TO FIND AN AGREEMENT WHICH WE CAN THEN COMMEND TO THE COMMUNITY. THEY'VE MADE SOME PROGRESS BUT I HAVE TO CONFESS A LOT LESS THAN I WOULD HAVE LIKED. I'M SURE THEY WILL MEETING AGAIN SOON. I SAY THIS WITH A GOOD DEAL OF FORCE. I THINK THERE IS A COMMITMENT ON BOTH SIDES TO FIND AN AGREEMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WANTS OUR DISCUSSIONS TO GO ON FOR MONTHS OR YEARS TO COME. WE DO WANT TO GET THINGS SORTED OUT. IT'S

IN

INTEREST.

IN I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST COMMUNITY IN US DOING THAT. SO I HOPE THAT THE NEXT TIME THE MEET, THEIR VERY HARD WORK WILL BEAR FRUIT.

EVERYBODY'S

THE

EXPERTS

/QUESTION: