XN000022-1996-05-08 — Page 2

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Governor Patten calls on Capitol Hill

The Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, today (Tuesday, May 7, Washington Time) completed his first full day in Washington DC, the fifth city of his six-city North American tour.

The day's appointments included a morning meeting with US Vice President Al Gore at the White House where National Security Advisor Anthony Lake and National Economic Advisor Laura Tyson were also present.

Following the meeting, the Governor told the press that he had received two assurances from the Vice President.

"First of all, that the US administration takes the same view that we do about MFN and about the importance of its renewal and, secondly, that the US administration continues to believe that there should be full implementation of the Joint Declaration as the basis for Hong Kong's transition to Chinese sovereignty in 1997," he said.

Mr Patten said during the meeting he had also expressed to the Vice President Hong Kong's gratitude for continuing interest by the United States administration in what was happening in Hong Kong and for the continuing American concern towards the full implementation of the Joint Declaration in Hong Kong.

"We very much appreciate the lively and informed interest which the US administration has shown," Mr Patten said.

During the day, the Governor had several other appointments on Capitol Hill.

These included meetings with Secretary for Commerce Ambassador Mickey Kantor, formerly the US Trade Representative until he assumed the position of Secretary for Commerce following the death of Secretary Ronald Brown last month, and with Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle.

The Governor met Republican Senator Connie Mack who in 1995 formed the Hong Kong Coalition, a bipartisan group of House and senate members whose purpose is to monitor Hong Kong's transition; Democratic Senator Joseph Liberman; and Democratic Senator Bill Bradley, a member of the Finance Committee.

Mr Patten also had discussions with the Bipartisan Working Group on MFN, a group of bipartisan pro-trade Congressmen in the House of Representatives.