XN000022-1996-06-05 — Page 4

I

· 3

Governor: Well, you look at what the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration say about these matters. They are absolutely plain, and I hope that we can have these points clarified. I hope you'll notice that once again it isn't the Hong Kong Government which is saying or doing things which are causing confusion or needing to be clarified. So let's have some clarifications which will reassure people very quickly.

Question: Mr Patten. With due respect, some Chinese officials have been saying it's actually... you are requested you are actually required clarification. You have just said that as journalist we are always able to write reports and columns expressing ideas and opinions. According to the Chinese officials, that obviously seems to be out of the question as far as they are concerned. What sort of assurances can you give the press? What can we do ...?

Governor: You've just heard me describe to you precisely in terms what it is in the Joint Declaration and what is in the Basic Law. If there are Chinese officials who are saying well it is not really quite like that, we need to know fast what exactly they do think is like.

Question: Mr Patten, how if Mr Lu has really said what has been reported in the SCMP this morning, what can the Government do?

Governor: Well, if Director Lu... I would like ... I think it's fair to Director Lu to say that the first thing that we require is some clarification of what he said. Director Lu must tell us what he said to those Japanese parliamentarians. If what he said is what he's reported to have said, then we'll want to take it up in the Joint Liaison Group and through other channels. I want to make that absolutely clear these are important matters, they touch on some of the fundamental aspects of life here in Hong Kong as we've seen in the last twenty-four hours.

Question: Will there be any discussion in the JLG, the plenary that is going on at the moment ...?

Governor: Yes.

Question: Governor, not mention after 1997, even recently there are people worry before 1997 there is some pressure from the Hong Kong Government when they organise assembly such as the June 4 candle light, next year there may be some pressure form the Hong Kong Government that there will be no place to organise this kind of...?