XN000022-1996-01-11 — Page 12

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Governor: Well, I think all of us know that if you stick to your principles in dealing with China, in talking to China, there is sometimes a fuss. But I don't think that is an argument for abandoning your principles. Consider what the consequences would have been.

What would have been the consequences if we had agreed to electoral arrangements which were unfair or if we'd agreed to arrangements under which some legislators, some democratic legislators were turfed out of the Legislative Council in 1997 with the connivance of the Government of Hong Kong. Would that have produced stability? Would that have produced a quiet and peaceful atmosphere in Hong Kong? It would have produced substantial social and political turbulence. And I think people should remember that the alternative to having an argument from time to time over a matter of principle with Chinese officials isn't a quiet life; the alternative is anything but a quiet life in Hong Kong because it would let down people in Hong Kong, it would break promises made to people in Hong Kong and it would lead to political instability.

Speaker: It is now 3.40 so whether we are Chinese or English it is time for tea. While we have produced some refreshments for Mr Patten, he doesn't have the opportunity yet to taste them, so let's take a short break.

Speaker: We're back on to the News Salon Programme and in the studio we have, other than myself, Leung Ka-wing and Cheng Shu-yan interviewing Mr Patten. We're now in the Government Offices at Admiralty and today we have a live interview with Mr Patten. We've spent about half-an-hour discussing the political system of Hong Kong, the issue of Boat People, and also the meetings between the two Foreign Ministers. Let's come back to some domestic affairs now.

Coming back to the domestic issues of Hong Kong. Even those who criticise the Governor severely would agree that you, the Governor, has brought some new styles to Hong Kong. Your are accessible, you have built a system of accountability and you have your performance pledges. Do you have confidence that these will survive beyond '97?

Governor: I very much hope so because I think they represent what our civil servants and what our public service enjoy doing, which is making certain that they provide a better service to the public. I've worked with civil servants elsewhere, in the European Community and in Britain, and I don't think that in Europe the civil service is as responsive to change and responsive to public concerns as it is here in Hong Kong. Of course not everything is perfect but I think that what has happened in Hong Kong. both in terms of accountability to the Legislative Council and the wider community, and in terms of trying to sharpen up the quality of our services, I think that is absolutely in tune with what the best of our civil servants want. And I think it's going to continue and I think it's here to stay.