XN000022-1994-11-12 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1994

GOVERNOR:

A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, OF COURSE, DEPENDS ON ATTITUDE AND POLICIES OF THE GOVERNMENT AND OFFICIALS IN PEKING IT ALSO DEPENDS ON THE WILL AND COMMITMENT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. ANY OTHERS?

THE

+

AND

QUESTION:

GOVERNOR, YOU'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT IT WAS YOUR INTENTION ΤΟ LEAVE HERE ON 30TH JUNE 1997, BUT OF COURSE IT'S NOT

YOUR POWER (INAUDIBLE) AND THE PRIME

COMPLETELY

IN

MINISTER

(INAUDIBLE)

GOVERNOR:

THE ALMIGHTY.

QUESTION:

YES, THE ALMIGHTY.

GOVERNOR:

AND THE PRIME MINISTER. IN THAT ORDER.

QUESTION:

A PRIME ANOTHER

IF IT WERE DECIDED BY THE ALMIGHTY OR BY MINISTER THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE GOVERNOR

WHATEVER THE REASON WAS OF COURSE IT WOULD BE SEEN BY MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AS QUITE DESTABALISING IF YOU WERE TAKEN OUT. THE ONLY THING THAT YOU MIGHT DO TO SHOW THAT YOU DIDN'T THINK WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA WOULD BE TO REFUSE TO TAKE A POLITICAL JOB YOU WENT BACK TO LONDON. NOW IF YOU WERE REPLACED, DO YOU THINK YOU COULD MAKE IT CLEAR NOW THAT IT WOULD AT LEAST NOT BE TO YOUR POLITICAL DETRIMENT TO BE TAKEN OUT OR TO GO BACK OR REMOVED?

GOVERNOR:

I'VE BEEN ASKED MUCH THE SAME QUESTION

THAT WHEN THAT

QUESTION:

FIVE THOUSAND TIMES.

GOVERNOR:

►

EVER SINCE I FIRST ARRIVED IN HONG KONG AND MY CONFIDENT PREDICTION IS THAT I'LL BE ASKED THE SAME QUESTION UNTIL ABOUT TEN-TO-TWELVE MIDNIGHT ON THE 30TH JUNE 1997, AND 1 THINK THAT MAYBE IN ORDER TO SAVE US ALL TIME, IN FUTURE IF ONE OF YOU WANTS TO ASK THE QUESTION, IF YOU SAY: "USUAL QUESTION", I'LL SAY "USUAL ANSWER" BUT LET ME ANSWER ONCE AGAIN. I WAS ASKED TO DO THIS JOB FOR FIVE YEARS. IN DOING THIS JOB I AM DISCHARGING THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AS FAITHFULLY AND COMPETENTLY AS 1 CAN AND I AM ALSO SEEKING TO DISCHARGE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AS EXEMPLIFIED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION. 1 INTEND TO GO ON DOING THAT UNTIL THAT FAMOUS MIDNIGHT ON THE 30TH JUNE 1997.

NOW I HAVE OCCASIONALLY IN THE PAST ADDED "GOD WILLING" WHICH IS NOT SOME SORT OF MANUSCRIPT FOOTNOTE TO SECURE ME A RELEASE FROM THIS COMMITMENT, IT'S MERELY AN EXPRESSION OF DEVOTIONAL REVERENCE AND A RECOGNITION THAT THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS IN ONES OWN HANDS.

I CAN'T CONCEIVE OF A MORE INTERESTING AND IMPORTANT JOB, WHETHER YOU DEFINE THAT POLITICALLY OR DIPLOMATICALLY OR MORALLY, THAN THE JOB THAT I AM TRYING TO DO HERE. AND I CANNOT CONCEIVE I REPEAT WHAT I HAVE SAID BEFORE

OF ANY CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH I WILL NOT BE CONTINUING IN THE JOB UNTIL THE LAST TRUMPET.

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/QUESTION: