XN000022-1994-12-21 — Page 5

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Governor: What is my personal opinion? Hong Kong is a free society. We've lots of organisations which look at human rights here in Hong Kong. We've got Amnesty. We've got Asia Watch. We've got Justice. They all look at human rights here in Hong Kong. Some of them criticise the Government. Some of them are less critical of the Government but that is in the nature of an open, tolerant, free, plural society. I am not bothered about organisations doing that. That's part of Hong Kong today and I don't think that anybody should be bothered about those activities continuing. If you look at the Joint Declaration and what it says about a free society, then people are perfectly at liberty to do that sort of things.

Question: ...you're saying that without consulting China. This Human Rights Centre could still be set up in Hong Kong and straddled 1997?

Governor: What Human Rights Centre? I mean what you're doing is you're taking an agreement in the European Parliament and you're turning it into something which you yourself are describing. I've told you what my reaction is, both to the vote in the European Parliament, and my reaction to monitoring of human rights in Hong Kong. Of course, the best way to monitor human rights in Hong Kong is through the international covenants, and that's why we will continue to argue, as we do, because it's fact that under the Joint Declaration, there is an obligation to report on how we manage in relation to the international covenants.

Question: Do you consider it's a failure of you and Martin Lee to not persuade Lau Chin-shek to change his mind again?

Governor: No.

Question: Are you planning to see him again?

Governor: No, unless he wants to see me about something else. I've said before and the Chief Secretary has said, and all other people have said, that Lau Chin-shek is a distinguished legislator. He's done a lot for Hong Kong. Some of the causes in which he's particularly interested, like industrial safety, are issues that I'm interested in myself. And I am sure he'll continue to work on those issues. I am sorry that he's decided to resign from the Legislative Council. But it's his decision. Life will go on. There will be a by- election. There will be another legislator and Hong Kong will go on booming away and being as successful as it has been for the last few years.

Question: China cannot return to the GATT by the end of this year. Do you think Hong Kong's economy will be greatly affected?