XN000022-1994-10-25 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1994

TRANSCRIPT OF GOVERNOR'S MEDIA SESSION

FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEDIA SESSION BY THE GOVERNOR, THE ᎡᎢ HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, AFTER TODAY'S (TUESDAY) EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES:

GOVERNOR:

PERHAPS I COULD JUST SAY A WORD OR TWO AT THE OUTSET TO SAVE YOU HAVING TO GO TO THE AIRPORT LATER THIS EVENING. I'M RETURNING TO LONDON FOR ANOTHER OF MY REGULAR, PRETTY BRIEF, STOCKTAKING MEETINGS. I WAS LAST IN LONDON IN JULY, AND ON MY PRESENT PLANS I'LL BE NEXT IN LONDON AT THE END OF JANUARY FOR ANOTHER OF MEETINGS. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH THE MINISTER AND OTHER MINISTERS AND OTHER GROUPS WHO ARE CONCERNED HONG KONG ISSUES.

—

SERIES

PRIME

ABOUT

TOMORROW, I'LL BE HAVING A MEETING AT BREAKFAST-TIME WITH THE PRIME MINISTER

I'VE GOT THAT'S OF COURSE LONDON TIME.

A MEETING WITH THE HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP AND I'M ADDRESSING THE ANNUAL DINNER IN LONDON OF THE TRADE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL. IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST FUNCTIONS OF ITS SORT WITH A VERY IMPRESSIVE CROSS-SECTION OF BUSINESS AND POLITICAL LEADERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HONG KONG.

I'LL ALSO BE DURING THE COURSE OF THE REST OF MY VISIT -I'LL ALSO BE SEEING THE FOREIGN MINISTER, MR GOODLAD, THE MINISTER OF STATE, OTHER FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE OFFICIALS. I'LL BE DELIVERING THE ANNUAL SWISS BANK LECTURE WHICH IS MOSTLY ABOUT TRADE IN ASIA, WHERE I'LL BE ATTACKING PROTECTIONISM IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA AND THE OTHER DEVELOPED ECONOMIES, AND I'LL BE RETURNING IN TIME FOR THE NEXT EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING, I HOPE, HAVING DONE SOME GOOD WORK IN LONDON. BUT I REPEAT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE VISITS I INTEND TO GO ON MAKING FOUR, MAYBE FIVE TIMES A YEAR, SO AS TO EVERYBODY IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE.

QUESTION:

THAT

КЕЕР

ARE

IS

NOW THAT AMBASSADOR GUO HAS SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOING TO HANDLE LAWS MORE OR LESS UNILATERALLY AND IN THEIR TIME, THERE ANY REASON WHY THE BRITISH CANNOT NOW DEAL WITH THE LAWS THEMSELVES THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH? AND IF THE CHINESE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THEM AFTER 1997, THEN THAT WOULD BE THEIR LOOKOUT. BUT DOES HE ACTUALLY SAY THAT'S REALLY WHAT HE MEANT, THAT IT'S NOT FOR THE BRITISH ΤΟ DEAL WITH THESE LAWS INSIDE OF THE PERIOD? IS IT NECESSARY, BASED ON THIS, THAT WORK BE DONE ON THE LAWS UNILATERALLY SPEAKING?

GOVERNOR:

WELL I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR WHAT HE WAS SAYING, AND I'M NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR WHAT THE CHINESE POSITION IS ON THESE MATTERS. BUT LET ME COME TO THAT IN JUST A SECOND. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE

TO WISH AMBASSADOR GUO A VERY LONG AND A VERY HAPPY RETIREMENT. I'M SURE THAT EVERYONE IN HONG KONG WOULD WISH TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. HE'S HAD A LONG AND DISTINGUISHED DIPLOMATIC CAREER AND WE ALL WISH HIM THE VERY BEST FOR THE FUTURE.

/IT'S IMPORTANT