XN000022-1995-06-27 — Page 2

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Transcript of the Governor's media session

The following is a transcript of what the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, said to the media after attending the Newspaper Society Annual Press Contest Awards Presentation Ceremony today (Tuesday):

Question: Today, there is the announcement of the JLG plenary in London.. We would like to know ...do you think the progress will be better then last time?

Governor: I hope that before and during and after the JLG plenary meeting next week, we can see more progress and more signs of co-operation on the ground. I think that Chinese officials recognise as we do there's a lot of work to do and we've got to get on with it. People in Hong Kong expect that and they want to see results and that's what I hope will be able to start achieving.

Question: Governor, you said you hoped for a pack of reasonable and mature co- operation arrangements with the CE designate. What is it in you mind?

Governor: That's something that we'll want to discuss first of all with Chinese officials over the coming months. I'm sure for example that there will be the sort of subject which the new British Foreign Secretary will want to discuss with Mr Qian Qichen when they meet in the autumn. And, it's also a subject of course which I'll want to discuss myself with the Chief Executive Designate when she or he is appointed. We want to co-operate with the preparatory committee. We want to co- operate with the Chief Executive Designate and his or her team. Obviously that will be a more intense form of co- operation. We'll be that much nearer the actual transition in 97. Obviously, the appointment of that team is going to be an extremely significant event in Hong Kong.

Question: There is still two years to go before the change of sovereignty, what is your comment on that? Because Mr Qian said that Hong Kong depends much on the civil servants. Is that a good sign...

Governor: I thought Mr Qian Qichen's speech at the weekend was a very encouraging one and a reassuring one for Hong Kong's civil servants and we'll look forward to seeing more words and more deeds of reassurance in the coming months I hope.

End/Tuesday, June 27, 1995