XN000022-1995-03-09 — Page 5

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Governor: That seems to me to be, to show characteristic wise restraint on their part.

Question: Do you think this lack of details about the proposal, so when do you think it ...

Governor: The NCNA won't be negotiating with us in the JLG, unless they change their JLG team. But I'm sure that those who do discuss the issue in the JLG will welcome the amount of comprehensive detail we give them.

Question: What I am asking is, what do you think is the appropriate time to discuss with the Chinese ? Should that wait after the consultancy's report that is the end of April?

Governor: No, we will want the next JLG meeting, whenever it takes place and I hope that it may take place though we haven't yet agreed dates before the date you've suggested, whenever the JLG takes place, we will want to make sure that the Chinese are well informed about what we believe is the sensible approach and the right way forward. You know as I do, and it's a point that I have made again and again, not least in relation to the old age pension scheme that since we're talking about the future by definition, since we're talking about pensions, or welfare benefits that we will pay after 1997, it is entirely proper to talk to Chinese officials about these matters since at present they seek to represent the future interest of the SAR. One last question.

Question: Going back to my question about Mr Chan who's behind in Singapore Do you take it that your request has been rejected by the government of Singapore?

Governor: I think you can take it that I didn't receive any indication that the position of the President changed. What we have done in every case whether it's Singapore or Thailand or other cases is always behaved in exactly the same way, associating ourselves with appeals which are lodged through the United Kingdom government and most recently which are supported by a demarche from the European Union.