XN000022-1996-03-21 — Page 3

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Question: Will Government compensate those excluded individuals?

Governor: Well, we've made perfectly clear that we are not doing anything to threaten the future of the Legislative Council. The Legislative Council was elected for four years. Why do people want to disrupt its work? Do they want to disrupt its work because they want to have election arrangements in place which are more fair? Do they disrupt its work because they want to have arrangements in place which are more democratic? Nobody thinks that for one moment. If there is disruption which leads to problems, then those who do the disrupting have to bear the consequences.

Question: But will the Government compensate for ...?

Governor: I've just answered that question.

Question: (on container terminal 9)

Governor: Well, I was very pleased that at Mr Rifkind's meeting with Mr Qian Qichen, the Chinese Vice Premier in January, Mr Qian made it perfectly clear that the arrangement which emerged from the discussions between the commercial parties would be satisfactory to the Chinese side. I very much hope that those commercial negotiations will end satisfactory as soon as possible. They are still going on. Obviously we'd like to see them concluded in a satisfactory way as soon as we can and that combines continuing for us, a satisfactory conclusion as you know is one development of the facilities of the port with a little more competition.

Question: Do you think Britain can do anything at this eleventh hour now to prevent the setting up of the provisional legislature...?

Governor: Well, you heard what the Prime Minister said during his visit to Hong Kong. I think that if the Preparatory Committee and Chinese officials insist on tearing out the roots of democracy in Hong Kong, they will have to justify that to the people of Hong Kong and they will have to justify it beyond as well, particularly given the questions that I've raised which have still not received answers. But I am sure all of us in Hong Kong will go on asking those questions until somebody does answer them. Okay. Thank you very much.

End