XN000022-1995-03-31 — Page 4

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Question: Are you confident that taking the issue into the diplomatic level is the most effective way to bring the two people released?

Governor: I very much hope so. Judging by what Chinese officials have said, there may be some problems of communication between the centre and Zhuhai; and there were obviously, on the day which I think is conceded - problems of communication between Zhuhai and the vessel in question. I repeat that the easiest and quickest way of resolving all this is to have the boats and the men returned.

Question: Governor, the Security Branch officials said that on this incident the Government don't want to demonstrate it is a weak government and it has been reported that you ordered to use military vessels if there is going to be further incursions in HK waters.

Governor: All that we are keen to ensure is that if something like this happens there is proper co-ordination between the Marine Police and the Royal Navy and I think that is a view which is shared by the Police who have a very difficult job to do, and by the Navy as well. And it is primarily a matter which is the responsibility of the Police with the Navy, the Garrison in general there, to support our Police, should that ever be necessary. But we all want to draw what lessons we can.

I just want to repeat one other thing. Of course we want to protect our own waters. We want to ensure that others recognise our own waters and we want to protect our own residents and our own craft. We also want to co-operate in a proper way with the Chinese authorities in preventing smuggling and other illegal activities in and around our coasts and there is no argument between us and the Chinese authorities on that matter at all.

Now in trying to secure their objectives, we don't want to put the lives and the welfare of our own Forces unnecessarily at risk and that is a consideration which you have to take account of whenever an incident like this occurs. At the end of the day, we have to remember that we have one of the best Police Forces anywhere in the world. The morale and the competence of that Police Force are matters which are always- always at the top of my personal agenda. When people talk about the stability of Hong Kong, when they talk about the rule of law in Hong Kong, those are matters which are, above all, the concern of our Police. So it will always be my number one priority to give their morale and their ability to do their job competently my top priority.

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Question: Do you think this incident that has just happened, and other incidents, are undermining seriously the morale of the Police Force? Are their hands tied behind their backs?