WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1994
TRANSCRIPT OF THE GOVERNOR'S PRESS BRIEFING
FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRESS BRIEFING BY THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, IN LONDON ON JULY 27:
GOVERNOR:
IT HAS BEEN A VERY USEFUL VISIT TO LONDON. IT HAS BEEN MY FIRST VISIT SINCE THE SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE OF OUR PROPOSALS ON ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS ON JULY 29 THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THAT DAY MARKED THE COMPLETION OF AN IMPORTANT STAGE IN HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT.
I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REVIEW THE POSITION SINCE THAT VOTE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND OTHER OFFICIALS AND WE HAVE DISCUSSED AT SOME LENGTH THE WAY FORWARD OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. WE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED TO SEE AS MUCH RAPID PROGRESS AS POSSIBLE IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG IN THE WHOLE RANGE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES WHICH REMAIN TO BE RESOLVED.
WE HAVE BEEN PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE IN 29 MEETINGS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND CONSIDERING HOW WE CAN MAKE CONSIDERABLY FASTER PROGRESS IN THE NINE OR SO MEETINGS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHICH REMAIN TO BE HELD BEFORE JUNE 30, 1997. THERE IS A FORMIDABLE RANGE OF WORK WHICH STILL HAS TO BE DONE AND WE WANT TO SEE THAT AGENDA ADDRESSED AS RAPIDLY AND AS VIGOROUSLY AS POSSIBLE.
I HAVE ALSO BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE IN LONDON, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIVES OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES. I HAD A USEFUL DISCUSSION TODAY WITH JACK CUNNINGHAM, THE SHADOW FOREIGN SECRETARY AND YESTERDAY I MET PADDY ASHDOWN, THE LEADER OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY, AS WELL DAVID HOWELL, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS SELECT COMMITTEE WHICH PRODUCED SUCH AS INTERESTING REPORT ON HONG KONG AND SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.
I AM VERY PLEASED THAT WE CONTINUE TO ENJOY SUCH SOLID CROSS-PARTY SUPPORT AT WESTMINSTER FOR OUR APPROACH TO OUR RESPONSIBILITIES IN HONG KONG AND TO OUR DETERMINATION то DO EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO SECURE THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG STAYS SPECIAL. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT CONTINUES TO ENJOY ITS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF A PLURAL, OPEN SOCIETY. THAT IS WHAT HAS MADE HONG KONG SO SUCCESSFUL AND WE WANT TO KEEP THINGS THAT WAY. THAT IS WHAT THE JOINT DECLARATION IS ALL ABOUT,
I ALSO REPORTED TO THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND OTHER MINISTERS THE LATEST ASSESSMENT OF OUR ECONOMIC PROSPECTS. I WAS ABLE TO REPORT TO THEM THAT OUR SURPLUS IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR WAS EVEN LARGER THAN WE HAD EXPECTED, AND I WAS ABLE TO DISCUSS WITH THEM OUR PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPING A DECENT SCHEME FOR LOOKING AFTER THE FINANCIAL NEEDS OF THE ELDERLY AND OF COURSE I MENTIONED TO THEM THAT IN THE LATEST POLLS OUR PROPOSALS ENJOYED 75 PER CENT
80 PER CENT SUPPORT WHICH SEEMS A PRETTY GOOD SCORING RANGE.
J
/IT HAS
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.