XN000022-1994-06-06 — Page 3

MONDAY, JUNE 6, 1994

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GOVERNOR: I'VE BEEN READING ALL SORTS OF MORE OR LESS INFORMED SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT THE GOVERNMENT MAY DO BUT YOU WON'T HAVE LONG TO WAIT. THE TASK FORCE, AS I SAID IN MY SPEECH, IS REPORTING THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL THIS WEEK AND SOON AFTER THAT WE'LL BE MAKING PUBLIC STATEMENT. I MRNTIONED THAT WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO GET RIGHT A RATHER DIFFICULT BALANCE. ON THE ONE HAND, WE WANT ΤΟ ABATE THE STEKP INCREASE IN PRICES. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE DON'T WANT

DO ANYTHING WHICH WOULD BE FUNDAMENTALLY DESTABILISING FOR THE PROPERTY SECTOR. I HOPE THAT WE'VE GOT THAT BALANCE RIGHT.

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QUESTION: HOW WILL YOU DESCRIBE THIS PACKAGE? IS IT VERY USEFUL, OR MILD OR WHAT?

GOVERNOR; I THINK IT'S USEFUL, SENSIBLE AND BALANCED.

QUESTION: WILL YOU ADVISE THE PUBLIC NOT TO BUY FLATS AT THE MOMENT?

GOVERNOR: I DON'T THINK THAT POLITICAL LEADERS ARF SENSIBLE TO GIVK DETAILED FINANCIAL ADVICE TO INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES, WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS TO PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH PEOPLE CAN MAKE THEIR OWN RCONOMIC CHOICES WITH THE GREATEST POSSIBILITY OF. SUCCESS. LAST QUESTION.

A QUESTION: IN YOUR SPEECH, YOU MADE A REFERENCE TO

НОРЕ THAT THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS WOULD BE RESOLVED ON THE 29TH. ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT YOU MIGHT END UP WITH EMILY LAU'S 60 DIRECTLY-ELECTED SKATS ON YOUR DESK?

GOVERNOR: I REPEAT THAT I HOPE THAT THE BEST PROPOSALS WHICH ARE IN FRONT OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE ONES IN OUR BILL ARE PASSED AND PASSED WITH AS A HANDSOME A MAJORITY AS POSSIBLE. THAT, I THINK, IS THE BEST WAY FORWARD FOR HONG KONG AND I DON'T THINK IT'S SENSIBLE FOR MR TO SPECULATE ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SOME OTHER PROPOSALS WENT FORWARD. I THINK OURS ARE THE BEST. WE WILL ARGUE VIGOROUSLY FOR THEM. WE WILI. LOBBY FOR THEM AND WE WELL VOTE FOR THEM. THANKS VERY MUCH INDEED.

GOVERNOR URGES LEGCO TO APPROVE ELECTORAL PROPOSALS

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THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (MONDAY) STRONGLY URGED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO APPROVE THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENT PROPOSALS WHEN THEY VOTED ON THEM ON JUNE 29.

"THE

ADMINISTRATION FIRMLY BELIEVES, STRONGLY BELIEVES, THEY

ARE BY FAR THE BEST ON THE TABLE.

"I BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY WHICH HAS REMAINED SOLIDLY SUPPORTIVE WANTS TO SEE THE MATTER RESOLVED ON JUNE 29 AS WELL.

"THAT WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO PUT THE ARGUMENT ABOUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS BEHIND US, AND GET ON WITH PREPARING FOR THE ELECTIONS ON THE BASIS OF ARRANGEMENTS WHICH THE COMMUNITY REGARDS AS CREDIBLE, HE SAID.

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