XN000022-1994-08-29 — Page 2

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MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 1994

FOREIGN SECRETARY VISITS HONG KONG NEXT MONTH

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, MR DOUGLAS HURD, WOULD BE VISITING HONG KONG ON SEPTEMBER 15 AND 16 TO PREPARE HIMSELF FOR HIS MEETING WITH THE CHINESE VICE-PREMIER, MR QIAN QICHEN, AT THE UNITED GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN NEW YORK IN LATE SEPTEMBER.

NATIONS

ON

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE KAI TAK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HIS RETURN FROM ANNUAL LEAVE, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY'S MEETING WITH MR QIAN WAS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE WERE ALSO TWO MEETINGS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP THIS AUTUMN, BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF THE YEAR AND THE BRITISH SIDE WANTED TO SEE AS MUCH PROGRESS IN THOSE MEETINGS AS POSSIBLE.

...

'I WAS PLEASED THAT WE'D GOT THE DEFENCE LANDS AGREEMENT IN THE SUMMER BUT THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO DO AND THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SUFFER IF WE DON'T MAKE PROGRESS ARE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND, IN A WAY IN THE FUTURE, THOSE WHO REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF CHINA, MR PATTEN SAID.

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ON

SAID HE THE COMING DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR WAS PLEASED THAT THERE WAS A RECORD NUMBER OF CANDIDATES AND THAT DEMONSTRATED THE IMPORTANCE WHICH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY ATTACHED TO THE SYSTEM OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.

ΤΟ

"I AM PLEASED THAT SO MANY PEOPLE ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND TO WORK WITH US IN GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE VIEWS AND VOICES OF THOSE WHO LIVE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AS WE FRAME PUBLIC POLICY," MR PATTEN SAID.

"I HOPE THERE WILL BE A GOOD TURNOUT • IN THOSE ELECTIONS, REFLECTING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EVENT, NOT LEAST THE FACT THAT THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED WILL FORM THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN 1995.

IN

RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE CHINESE NATIONAL CONGRESS' DISCUSSION TO DISMANTLE THE THREE TIER POLITICAL AFTER 1997.

THE GOVERNOR SAID: "THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WE FORWARD ARE WITHIN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW.

PEOPLE'S STRUCTURE HAVE PUT

"THEY ARE FAIR. THEY ARE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THEY ENJOYED VERY CONSIDERABLE SUPPORT. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THEY SHOULD BE DISMANTLED.

TAKE

"IF IN 1997, THOSE ARRANGEMENTS ARE DISMANTLED, THOSE WHO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THAT WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN THEMSELVES TO SIX MILLION PEOPLE HERE IN HONG KONG,"

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