XN000022-1996-01-24 — Page 4

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Question: Do you think Peking has been purposely vague on the right of abode issue, both for dual nationals and for say, people like Indian citizens who are protesting yesterday?

Governor: I didn't find Mr Qian Qichen's message on right of abode at all unclear. It was very clear. What he said was that those who had permanent residence in Hong Kong before 1997 would have it after 1997. You can't be clearer than that. Of course we recognise that there are certain technicalities that need to be discussed in the Joint Liaison Group. But the sooner we get along with that, the sooner we can turn into hard reality that important commitment and promise from Mr Qian Qichen the better.

Question: Mr Patten, what is your standpoint on those Hong Kong Indian minorities who wish to have a right of abode and full British passport after 1997?

Governor: I think you know that I've campaigned for that in Britain as well as in Hong Kong, publicly as well as privately. I totally support those ethnic minorities who are worried about the question of right of abode and certainly Chinese officials could help clear up that worry. But I also think that it would be nothing but a good thing if the British Government would make it clear that they had full British passports.

Question: Are you confident that you wishes will get full British support?

Governor: Well, they have had a very considerable understanding and a certain degree of support from the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons and from a number of Members of Parliament in Westminster. So I hope I can build on that and get wider support in both the Government and the opposition.

Question: Will you be surprised that you are not invited to the handover ceremony?

Governor: I wonder if we could deal with that question once and for all and just forget about it, because it is so absurd and so trivial and so beside the point when you compare all the other big issues that Hong Kong has to deal with. If I were to say to you as the Governor of Hong Kong that I was going to tell the Chinese side who could represent them at the handover ceremonies in 1997 you would think I've taken leave of my senses. You would think that I was not only extremely rude, not only extremely undiplomatic but interfering in the way which was totally absurd in international relations. And if you think that about how that behaviour would look if I was to do it and just to put the argument the other way round. It is not an issue for any sort of negotiation, full stop. The British Government decides who represents it at those ceremonies and that won't be negotiated with anybody.