XN000022-1996-12-18 — Page 2

1 -

Transcript of Governor's media session

Following is the transcript of the media session by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, after visiting Kowloon City District this (Wednesday) afternoon:

Governor: I am sorry to keep you waiting. What a fantastic hotel! I am pleased to have made another visit to Kowloon. It is, I think, the third district visit I have made and of course I have been here on many other occasions, and I was particularly pleased to see the school and the Eye Hospital which is one of Hong Kong's best hospitals and does marvellous work for the community.

Question: So Tung Chee-hwa has made it clear that his position about the Government heading recently... don't you think you are on a road to inevitable friction if you don't ...?

Governor: Mr Tung and the whole community know what our position is on the Legislative Council and the Provisional Legislature. They know what our position has been for years and I don't think anybody is expecting us to change it.

Question: But you have pledged to co-operate fully with the Chief Executive, I don't understand how you can co-operate if you don't come to some sort of terms on the Provisional Legislature that is actually going to come into effect, isn't it?

Governor: Well, it doesn't demand a very large leap of your imagination to see that the position is. We have always made it clear that we would co-operate within the terms of the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. You know perfectly well what the position is as regards the Provisional Legislature. And just to save you asking the same questions over and over again, the answer that I give next week and the week after will be exactly the same answer as I gave last week and the week before. I am sure there will be further statements about the position later in the week.

I would remind you of the Joint Declaration and Article 30, in which of course Chinese officials are pledged to co-operate with this Government in administering and running Hong Kong until June 30 next year. As far as Mr Qian Qichen is concerned, there can only be one Legislative Council until June 30 next year and that is the one we have today. I am sure Mr Qian has not changed his mind on that and I have not changed my mind either.

Question: But will this difference affect the co-operation between you and Mr Tung?

Governor: It certainly won't affect the willingness on our part to provide all reasonable co-operation to Mr Tung.