XN000022-1996-05-11 — Page 2

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Transcript of the Governor's media session

Following is a transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten on his return from Canada and the USA this (Saturday) evening:

Governor: Good evening. I am happy to be back on the inaugural 777 Cathay flight from Seattle, after a busy and successful visit to Canada and the United States.

In Canada I addressed extremely large meetings the largest was a lunch for 1200 in Vancouver and had good meetings with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Immigration Minister, the Minister for International Trade and other political figures.

My main purpose in Canada was to argue the case for visa-free access for SAR passport holders, which I did as vigorously as possible, and, as you will know if you can cast your minds back to last week, the Canadian Government accepted, in principle, the case for visa-free access though they make it clear that there are a number of detailed points which they want to have sorted out before they can actually take that request. They principally relate both to the issue over returnability, which is where we are trying to provide reassurance to the Canadian authorities, and they relate as well to the question of right of abode, where we are still hoping that expert talks with Chinese officials will clarify some of the doubts that still remain.

I then went on to the United States. I addressed large meetings in New York and then I went on to Washington where I met senior members of the Administration and Congress, as well as addressing meetings. I addressed, as I think you will know,

among

others the National Press Club and the Heritage Foundation in Washington.

I met the President, the Vice President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary for the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Chairman of the National Security Council, the Chair of the National Economic Council and a number of other senior officials. And met, on Capitol Hill, Senator Dole and the leadership of the Republican Party in the Senate, Senator Daschle, the Democratic Leader in the Senate, the majority leadership in the House of Representatives and many other congressmen during the course of a very busy three-day visit.

The main purpose of my visit was to argue the case unreservedly for the renewal of unconditional MFN for China, speaking not as a spokesman for China but speaking as a spokesman for Hong Kong. I think and believe that as a result of my visit and as a result of the visit of Mr Lee a few weeks ago, and of the visit of Mrs Chan in a few weeks, Americans will take careful account of Hong Kong's interest in any decision that they come to.