Governor: I don't think that Anson's visit will have a great impact on the JLG meeting as I was saying last week, despite the very welcome progress that we've made in the last few weeks - the airport agreement, the franchise and of course the agreement on the Court of Final Appeal - despite that and the improvement in the atmosphere which I think Anson's visit is an example of, I don't think we'll see a great harvest at this JLG meeting because there hasn't been the progress in some of the expert groups that would be necessary in order to get a lot of decisions out of the JLG. So I hope we'll make some progress. I hope we'll get some successful agreements. But by and large, I think what we are looking for is a definite improvement, I hope, in the atmosphere and in the tone of the JLG leading to more agreements in coming months with Chinese officials coming more readily to the table to reach agreement with us.
Question: Could you address the point that the Beijing administration can deal directly with Anson Chan and bypass you?
Governor: In directly talking to the Chief Secretary, anyone is talking to me as well. I am the Governor of Hong Kong and will be until June 30, 1997. Anson Chan, I might chose of course to be Hong Kong's first local Chief Secretary is my closest colleague and adviser and we work as a team. We have worked as a team and we'll continue to work as a team. I am not surprised by the high esteem in which Anson is held in the community and overseas because she does an outstanding job and is a great and eloquent champion of Hong Kong.
Question: How can her visit enable your visit in the near future to Peking?
Governor: Well, I think the case for direct contacts between me and between Chinese officials is as strong as it ever has been. I don't think it's changed at all. But you'll remember that when there seemed to be some continuing difficulty, let me put it as diplomatically as that, with Director Lu seeing me earlier in the year despite the commitments that have been made in the past, in past agreements, when that looked as that was going to be difficult, I suggested that if he didn't want to meet me he should meet Anson Chan. I am delighted that he's done that. And obviously it was at some personal inconvenience because he came out of hospital in order to meet Anson and then had to go back again. I am sure that everyone in Hong Kong will join me as join Anson Chan in wishing him a speedy and full recovery. Thank you very much.
End/Wednesday, July 5, 1995
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