XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 9

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

THESE PUBLIC SERVICES MATTER A GREAT DEAL TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM, AND I KNOW THE COMMUNITY BELIEVES THAT SUCH LIVELIHOOD ISSUES SHOULD BE RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE GOVERNMENT'S AGENDA. ARE; AND I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR TODAY. THAT THEY WILL REMAIN THERE.

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THEY

NEXT YEAR WE WILL PUBLISH ANOTHER PROGRESS REPORT DESCRIBING WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. AND I GIVE YOU A PLEDGE NOW THAT WE ARE DETERMINED TO REPEAT THE SUCCESS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS.

IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON, I ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE NEED TO FIND PRACTICAL WAYS TO CO-OPERATE WITH CHINA TO ENSURE THAT WE MAKE BETTER PROGRESS ON THE MANY ISSUES WHICH REMAIN ON THE AGENDA OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP THE JLG.

I THINK THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WANTS BRITAIN AND CHINA TO FIND NEW WAYS OF WORKING TOGETHER. IT'S A GREAT PITY THAT WE COULDN'T REACH AGREEMENT ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR OUR ELECTIONS. BUT IF WE FAIL TO AGREE IN ONE AREA, WE MUST PUT THAT BEHIND US AND REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO REACH SENSIBLE AGREEMENTS ELSEWHERE. THAT IS WHY I HAVE SET OUT A SERIES OF PRACTICAL MEASURES WHICH I HOPE WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR WHAT THEY ARE: A REASONABLE, COMMON-SENSE FRAMEWORK FOR CO-OPERATION OVER THE 1,000 DAYS AHEAD.

THESE PROPOSALS ARE INTENDED TO DO TWO THINGS.

FIRST, TO ENSURE THAT THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE WHICH WILL BE SET UP IN 1996 AND THE FUTURE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND. HIS OR HER TEAM HAVE ALL THE ASSISTANCE THEY NEED IN PREPARING FOR THEIR HEAVY RESPONSIBILITIES.

SECOND, I WANT ΤΟ MAKE SURE THAT THE FIRST 1997 HAS THE BEST POSSIBLE START IN TERMS OF

ADMINISTRATION

RESOURCES.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT. IT IS CERTAINLY MY AIM AND THAT OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. I HOPE CHINA WILL BE ABLE TO JOIN WITH US IN WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE TRANSITION. ONLY IN THIS WAY WILL HONG KONG BE ABLE TO MAKE ITS FULL CONTRIBUTION TO CHINA'S DEVELOPMENT AFTER 1997 AS IT HAS BEFORE 1997.

THE NEXT 1,000 DAYS WON'T BE EASY. YOU KNOW THAT AND I KNOW THAT.

THEY WERE NEVER GOING TO BE. BUT I THINK THAT IF WE ALL WORK AT IT, IF WE ALL TRY IMAGINATIVELY AND WITH A BIT MORE GENEROSITY OF SPIRIT, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF THINGS. THAT'S WHAT I'M DETERMINED TO TRY TO DO. AND IF WE SUCCEED, WHEN WE SUCCEED WELL,

CHINA, BUT

IT WILL OF COURSE BE GOOD FOR BRITAIN AND GOOD FOR ABOVE ALL IT WILL BE GOOD FOR HONG KONG.

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