XN000022-1997-01-08 — Page 5

Question: According to some provisional legislators who say that the PL is no longer a designate one but that means the structure can operate formally before July this year and then it can pass laws which will come into effect after June this year. So what can the British Government do with that and what can the Hong Kong Government do to stop that?

Governor: I think that anybody who says that should have a conversation with the Chinese Vice Premier, Mr Qian Qichen, who made it perfectly clear last April that there could only be one Legislative Council before 30 June 1997. And we have one which was elected by over a million people, rather than one that was selected by 400 hand-picked people by China.

Question: Would you expect the Foreign Secretary to tell you, okay, how much you should... the question of the provisional legislature through the International Court?

Governor: Would I what?

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Question: Would you expect the Foreign Secretary to tell you questions of the provisional legislature to the International Court?

Governor: As you will know, if you have been attending any previous press conferences with me, the British Foreign Secretary cannot do that. No government can do that on its own. In order to unilaterally take an issue to the International Court of Justice you have to go through the General Assembly of the United Nations and there isn't a General Assembly meeting until next autumn. So it is not very relevant to the question of the existence of the provisional legislature at the moment.

Question: Are you saying that the British Government has nothing to do with the challenge ...?

Governor: But I know precisely what the British Government have said and done and we had many entertaining press conferences about that before Christmas.

Question: How far do you agree with Lord Howe's comments that Chinese leaders need sympathy and support? That is what Lord Howe said.

Governor: I have already, I think, answered that question fairly extensively, genially, gently, moderately, without any extremism. Let me offer, free, a piece of New Year good cheer. I think everybody needs sympathy and support. I am in favour of sympathy and support for everybody the Governor of Hong Kong, the Chief Secretary, Lord Howe, the Chief Executive Designate, Chinese leaders. We all need sympathy and support and I am sure that we will all get it from Hong Kong's responsible, vigorous press corps.

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