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Jimmy McGregor (HK Gencham): The 50-year guarantee is the absolute key element in the whole issue. The September deadline is not important if continuing negotiations arrive at the right conclusions and continue to develop towards an agreed solution for HK.
W.H. Choy (CMA): Sir Geoffrey's remarks have indicated that the talks have made progress. However, details have yet to be worked out regarding HK's future economic links with the rest of the world.
Martin Lee (Barrister): It is believed that Chine will honour the agreement on HK. Local people should cooperate to maintain the territory's prosperity and stability rather than emigrate.
Cheng Cheuk-yim (CU lecturer): Though an international agreement would be binding, it would be fragile. Whether the future Sino-British agreement will be honoured largely depends on the relationship between the two countries.
George Robertson (Spokesman for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Labour Party): We are not surprised by Sir Geoffrey's statement. The Labour Party is not: interested in complicating the negotiations nor gaining political advantage from the talks.
Chan Kwun-wah (I Love a Free HK Movement): Sir Geoffrey's remark that it would not be realistic to think of an agreement that provides for continued British administration in HK after 1997 can be interpreted as a backdown to China. The Sino-British talks are conducted on the basis of mutual benefit. The future of HK should be in the hands of local people and free from foreign interference.
An open letter by HK Self Salvation Organising Committee: The British government should either review the principles of the talks or stop the talks. It supports the setting up of a HK autonomous (sic) government similar to Singapore.
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The SCM Post ran some reactions to Sir Geoffrey's reference to press questions
on the "international binding agreement."
Percy Chen (Barrister, CPPCC): The word "international" refers to only two parties of the talka China and Britain.
Lee Yee (Seventies Monthly); After 1997, HK would be entirely China's internal affair and the Chinese could reject any external intervention. The mention of an international agreement could be an excuse for the British to relinquish their responsibilities for HK.
Leung Wing-sun (Taiwan legislator, president of Chu Hai College): An International agreement could not make HK safe. A totalitarian country would not observe agreements.
Chum Ting-bong (lecturer, DB member). The original idea of an International agreement came from Peking. The fact that the idea came from the mouth of a British official would be more acceptable to the people of HK
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