FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF LORD BELSTEAD'S OPENING STATEMENT AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE THIS AFTERNOON :
I AM VERY GLAD TO BE HERE AND AM GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL FOR JOINING ME THIS AFTERNOON. I AM LEAVING HONG KONG IN A COUPLE OF HOURS AFTER A 5-DAY VISIT, WHICH HAS HARDLY DONE JUSTICE TO SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY. BUT I HAVE AT LEAST BEEN ABLE TO SPEND A WORKING WEEK HERE.
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THIS IS, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE FIRST TIME I HAVE VISITED HONG KUNG SINCE I TOOK OVER THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG AFFAIRS IN THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE LAST APRIL. I WISH IT COULD HAVE BEEN EARLIER: I WISH IT COULD HAVE BEEN LONGER. NEVERTHELESS IT HAS GIVEN ME THE CHANCE TO MEET A GREAT NUMBER OF PEOPLE.
I HAVE HAD VALUABLE MEETINGS WITH THE GOVERNOR: OUR AMBASSADOR TO PEKING, SIR PERCY CRADOCK: WITH MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND WITH UMELCO. I HAVE ALSO MET AS WIDE A RANGE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND OFFICIALS AS POSSIBLE AND HAVE NOTED CAREFULLY THE MANY EXPRESSIONS OF VIEWS I HAVE HEARD.
HY WEEK HAS NOT HOWEVER BEEN LIMITED TO TALKS AND MEETINGS: 1 HAVE SEEN AND HEARD SOMETHING OF HONG KONG'S BUSINESS ACTIVITY: I VISITED FLATS DEVELOPED FOR THE HOME OWNERSHIP SCHEME: 1 TRAVELLED ON THE KOWLOON AND CANTON RAILWAY - IN I AM DELIGHTED TO SAY, BRITISH ROLLING STOCK - AND ENDED YESTERDAY WITH STUDENTS AT THE POLYTECHNIC. I HAVE VISITED REFUGEE CAMPS AND HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE VERY HIGH STANDARDS HONG KONG MAINTAINS AND BY THE OUTSTANDING WORK PERFORMED BY THE AUTHORITIES AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES. TODAY I VISITED THE ARMED SERVICES AND THE POLICE THUS ABLE TO ESPECIALLY APPRECIATE ALL THAT THEY DO.
LIKE EVERYONE WHO COMES TO HONG KONG FOR THE FIRST TIME, HAVE DEEN PARTICULARLY STRUCK BY THE ENERGY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF ITS PEOPLE. DON'T LET US FORGET THAT AT THIS TIME OF RECESSION, THE PACE AND EXTENT OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY HERE IS STILL REMARKABLE.
/ONE THING
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