XN000022-1994-07-27 — Page 4

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WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1994

THIRDLY, WE COULD MAKE MORE PROGRESS IN CO-OPERATION WITH CHINA, AND THAT IS OUR PREFERRED WAY FORWARD, BUT IT WILL TAKE EFFORTS - IF I PUT THE POINT MILDLY ON BOTH SIDES.

QUESTION:

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MR PATTEN, WHAT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF DOUGLAS HURD'S MEETING WITH QIAN QICHEN IN SEPTEMBER?

GOVERNOR:

I WOULD BE A LITTLE RELUCTANT TO SPELL THAT OUT SO FAR AHEAD, BUT CLEARLY THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WILL BE WANTING, I AM SURE AMONGST OTHER THINGS, TO REVIEW WITH VICE PREMIER QIAN THE PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE MADE ACROSS THE BOARD IN TRYING TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS SATISFACTORILY BEFORE 1997, AND THAT WILL OF COURSE INCLUDE THE JLG

AGENDA.

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THERE IS ALWAYS, OF COURSE, A NON-HONG KONG ELEMENT THEIR DISCUSSIONS, BECAUSE CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM ARE BOTH PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF THE UNITED NATIONS, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL ISSUES WHICH THE VICE PREMIER AND THE FOREIGN SECRETARY ALWAYS NEED TO COVER. BUT IN THE SPECIFICALLY HONG KONG-RELATED ISSUES THE PROGRESS ON THE JLG WILL LOOM VERY HIGH.

WILL THAT BE PART OF YOUR AUTUMN PUSH? IS THAT PART OF THE CAMPAIGN TO GET THINGS MOVING AGAIN?

QUESTION:

GOVERNOR:

I AM SURE THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WILL WANT HIS MEETING TO HELP SPEED THINGS UP RATHER THAN SLOW THINGS DOWN.

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QUESTION:

ACCORDING TO REPORTS THAT HAVE GONE AROUND CHINESE PAPERS, ONE OF THE REASONS THEY EXPLAINED WHY QIAN QICHEN FELT HE SHOULD SAY TO ALASTAIR GOODLAD THAT WAS THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SPEARATE POLITICAL FROM FACT.... WAS THAT BEIJING STILL FEARS THAT.

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THERE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL AGENDA WHICH STILL EXISTS HONG KONG AND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE VOTING ISSUE IS TO ENHANCE POWERS OF LEGCO TO THE POINT AT WHICH THE FREEDOM OF MANOEUVRE OF FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE AFTER 1997 WOULD BE INHIBITED. THAT COULD EITHER BE A SMOKESCREEN OR IT COULD BE A REASONABLE SUPPOSITION. CAN IMAGINE THE CHINESE THINKING ABOUT THAT. IS THERE ANY TRUTH IN THAT? ARE YOU GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE POINT AT WHICH LEGCO WOULD HAVE SUCH POWERS THAT, AS IT WERE, THE EXECUTIVE-LED GOVERNMENT IN THAT CONSULATE WOULD BE THAT THREATENED?

GOVERNOR:

THE POWERS OF LEGCO ARE PERFECTLY CLEAR IN THE BASIC LAW AND IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE JOINT DECLARATION TALKS ABOUT AN EXECUTIVE ACCOUNTABLE TO A LEGISLATURE WHICH IS WHOLLY ELECTED. NOW I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT ACCOUNTABILITY MAKES A GOVERNMENT LESS EFFECTIVE OR LESS STRONG. I DO NOT THINK CRITICISM BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE EXECUTIVE UNDERMINES A SELF-CONFIDENT EXECUTIVE. I DO NOT THINK THAT A PUBLIC AND POLITICAL DIALOGUE ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATURE MEANS THAT GOVERNMENT IS LESS STRONG"," ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT IS MORE STRONG. ACCOUNTABLE GOVERNMENT PURSUES BETTER POLICIES BECAUSE IT HAS TO EXPLAIN AND DEFEND THOSE POLICIES,

/ALL THAT

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