XN000022-1994-05-30 — Page 3

MONDAY, MAY 30, 1994

GOVERNOR: WE HAVE FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PEOPLE EXERCISE THAT FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY YESTERDAY. I THINK THAT THE POLICE BEHAVED WITH A GOOD DEGREE OF TACT. THESE ARE NOT EASY MATTERS FOR THE POLICE BUT I THINK FROM ALL I'VE HEARD IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES, THEY BEHAVED VERY SENSIBLY AND SO FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY ARE GUARANTEED UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WE'LL CERTAINLY DO EVERYTHING WE CAN BEFORE 1997 TO ENSURE THAT THE FOUNDATIONS FOR THOSE FREEDOMS ARE AS SECURED AS POSSIBLE.

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT RESTRAINTS, DOESN'T IT GIVE YOU ALL THE REASONS TO APPROVE THE IDEA OF SETTING UP A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, AND NUMBER TWO, MOST OF THE EXCO MEMBERS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR DISAPPROVAL OF SUCH A BODY, YOU HAVE YOURSELF SO. WHAT IS THE POINT OF DRAGGING THE ISSUE FOR ANOTHER MONTH?

GOVERNOR: FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE DISCUSSING NOT JUST THE INSTITUTION

A

OF

HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BUT THE FUNCTIONS WHICH A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SHOULD CARRY OUT IN EXCO AND I'VE BEEN DISCUSSING THOSE MATTERS IN LONDON. BUT, I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S PARTICULARLY SENSIBLE TO CREATE A TOTEM WITHOUT CONSIDERING WHAT THAT TOTEM IS SUPPOSED TO DO. I'LL BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM YOU WHAT YOU THINK A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION SHOULD DO. I THINK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL FUNCTIONS WHICH PEOPLE HAVE DISCUSSED. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BETTER EDUCATION IN HUMAN RIGHTS. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GREATER ACCESS TO THE COURTS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CASES. THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT AFFORDABILITY. THOSE ARE ALL IMPORTANT AND SERIOUS ISSUES. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO THINK THE ONLY WAY WE CAN SECURE THOSE ISSUES TO

IS

WE

I

ESTABLISH A NEW INSTITUTION. THERE ARE OTHERS WHO THINK THAT COULD BEST SECURE THOSE OBJECTIVES IN OTHER WAYS. THAT IS A SERIOUS AND LEGITIMATE ARGUMENT. BEFORE I KNOCK DOWN ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER, HOPE THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, WE'LL BE ABLE TO DEBATE IT IN AN INTELLIGENT WAY.

QUESTION: IN PRINCIPLE, DO YOU SUPPORT IT?

GOVERNOR: IN PRINCIPLE, I WILL TELL YOU WHAT OUR VIEW IS AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME WHICH WILL BE BEFORE THE END OF JUNE.

QUESTION: IF THE COMMITTEE, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, CAN'T BE SET UP OR CAN'T BE FUNCTIONED AFTER '97, WHAT SORT OF REMEDY OR SUBSTITUTE WILL YOU HAVE TO DO, FOR EXAMPLE, BEFORE '97?

GOVERNOR: THAT'S A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION WHICH ASSUMES THAT WE'VE SET UP A COMMITTEE, WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION ON THAT WE CAN ANSWER REAL QUESTIONS RATHER THAN HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS.

QUESTION: MR PATTEN, THIS IS A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ABOUT HAN DONGFANG. NOW THAT THE SITUATION HAS CHANGED BECAUSE HAN DONGFANG MADE IT CLEAR REPEATEDLY THAT HE DOES NOT HAVE THE INTENTION TO GO BACK TO CHINA ANY MORE?

GOVERNOR : SO FAR AS 1 AM CONCERNED, MR HAN IS HERE BECAUSE HE WASN'T BEEN ABLE TO COME BACK TO CHINA. NOBODY, I THINK, HAS HEARD FROM

HIM. WHAT YOU'VE JUST TOLD ME, I THINK, IT'S FOR MR HAN TO SAY WHAT HE WANTS TO DO AND NOT INDIVIDUAL JOURNALIST HOWEVER DISTINGUISHED.

/QUESTION: