TNAG-1245-FCO40-1559-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 31

FRIDAY, MAY 20, 1983

JB: SIR EDWARD, WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW IS WHERE WE STAND NOW, IN RELATION TO 1997?

HE: THIS I FULLY UNDERSTAN), AND RIGHT FROM THE VERY MOMENT THAT I ARRIVED IN HONG KONG I WAS AWARE THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THE ISSUE WHICH WOULD BE AT THE TOP OF PEOPLE'S MINDS.

WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED, THERE WASN'T VERY MUCH HAPPENING AND THERE WERE TWO THINGS WHICH CLEARLY NEEDED TO BE DONE. AND THE FIRST OF THOSE HAS TO GET TALKS STARTED, AND THAT WAS ACHIEVED WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER WENT TO PEKING IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. AND THE SECOND THING WAS TO ENSURE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAS FULLY AWARE OF THE FEELING IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND WE MADE A START ON THAT WHEN I TOOK THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS A REPRESENTATIVE DELEGATION OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS TO LONDON AND OF COURSE, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS SINCE THEN WHEN PEOPLE HAVE COME HERE, SUCH AS LORD BELSTEAD, TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT IT.

BUT THE TALKS WHICH HE BEGAN THEN HAVE BEEN GOING ON, AND THEY ARE STILL GOING ON. I THINK I CAN QUITE CLEARLY SAY THAT ALTHOUGH THEY MAY BE MOVING SLOWLY, THEY ARE MOVING, AND THEY ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND WE STILL REMAIN FULLY JETERN INED TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF THEM.

JKI YOU SAY +TRLKS ARE GOING ON+, DO YOU MEAN TALKS ABOUT TALKS, OR HAVE THE DEFINITIVE TALKS ACTUALLY STARTED?

HE

WELL, WE HAVE NEVER DISTINGUISHED BETWEEN DEFINITIVE TALKS AND AS YOU MIGHT SAY, INTRODUCTORY TALKS. WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND THE DECLARED OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, AND THAT'S WHAT THE TALKS ARE ABOUT.

331 CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE BRITISH POSITION IS? I MEAN, WHAT IS BRITAIN PROPOSING AS TO THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG?

HE: NO. I CAN'T GO INTO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE TALKS BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR, AND INDEED, WHA KE HAVE STATED WE ARE LOOKING FOR, IS THE SETTLEMENT WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE TO CHINA AND UK, AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. AND IN SAYING THAT, I COME BACK TO THE ORIGINAL STATEMENT WHICH I MADE, RHICH IS THAT IN PURSUING THOSE TALKS WE ARE VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT.

JBI BUT THERE IS AN IMPRESSION THAT ALTHOUGH PEKING HAS BEEN CONSULTING DELEGATION AFTER DELEGATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE, YOU HAVE BEEN CONSULTING EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND A VERY FEW PEOPLE?

HE; THIS I THINK, IS QUITE A MISLEADING IMPRESSION. THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION IS A CONTINUOUS ONE THIS IS A PLACE WHEPE WHEN PEOPLE HAVE VIEWS, THEY HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEM AND INDEED, I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT FAIRLY OBVIOUS THAT THEY ARE INDEED EXPRESSING THEM. ANYBODY WHO WISHES TO HAVE A PUBLIC FORUM FOR HIS VIENS CAN FIND IT IN THE PRESS AND I READ IT EVERY DAY IN THE PRESS.

/SECONDLY,