XN000022-1996-09-25 — Page 6

Governor: I very much hope that they will have a very clear exchange of views. I hope that Mr Rifkind will be able to put across our views on some extremely important issues which concern people in Hong Kong - like the future of our legislature and the future of our Bill of Rights. If they can make progress on some outstanding issues as well it will obviously be welcome. I think that they have established clearly in the past a very workmanlike relationship. It doesn't mean that they have agreed on everything but it does mean that they have been able to exchange views very openly and frankly without any rise in the temperature.

I think we have established that we can stand up for Hong Kong and argue the case for Hong Kong without doing damage to the relationship between China and Britain. That has been the case in the past and I hope it will continue to be the case. So everybody in Hong Kong will wish the meeting well, while being realistic about what can actually be achieved at it.

Question: There has been talk of a breakthrough on the handover ceremony, is that what you expected?

Governor: I am always reluctant to use words like breakthrough. We have been discussing the handover ceremony with Chinese officials. In my view there should not be any problem provided it is absolutely clear that everything that happens in the handover is within the terms of the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. Provided that can be achieved then we should not have any trouble with a ceremony that is solemn and dignified and suitable to the occasion. That is what people would like to see. They don't want to see triumphalism on either side and I don't think they want to see a breakdown over the issue. They would like to see us getting on with things in a sensible and grown up way.

End

Transcript of the Governor's media session on ACAN report

Following is the transcript of the media session given by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, after receiving the ACAN report today (Wednesday):

As you will remember, we had a second summit on drugs on our Campaign to Beat Drugs last May which was as successful, I think, as the first. We announced at it a $30 million action plan for continuing our fight against drugs. And at the summit as well, the participants, in the vigorous discussions that took place, made about 60 new suggestions about additional ways in which we could attack drugs more comprehensively.