TNAG-1478-FCO40-2010-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1986 — Page 25

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QUESTION: SIR GEOFFREY, IN VIEW OF THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT'S BLATANT DISREGARD FOR PÚBLIC OPINION ON THE DAYA BAY NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ISSUE, AND ITS OBVIOUS RELUCTANCE TO PLAY AN ACTIVE IF NOT LEADING ROLE IN UPCOMING CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS, HOW DO YOU THINK THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CAN SALVAGE ITS DISCREDITED IMAGE AND REGAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE?

SIR GEOFFREY: I THINK THAT THERE ARE THREE PREMISES TO THAT QUESTION EACH OF WHICH IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT PLAIN THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE. THAT HAS BEEN REAFFIRMED AND CONFIRMED IN THE STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THE TALKS BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIME MINISTER AND OTHERS IN DOWNING STREET LAST MONTH. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ALIKE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG NOT ONLY WHEN DRAWING CONCLUSIONS FROM THE REVIEW BUT IN OTHER MATTERS AS WELL.

QUESTION: IS IT TRUE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS EXPRESSED TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THROUGH VARIOUS CHANNELS THAT THEY WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE DIRECT ELECTIONS TO BE INTRODUCED INTO HONG KONG IN 19887

SIR GEOFFREY: AGAIN, AS YOU KNOW, I DON'T, NOR CAN ANYONE ELSE COMMENT ON THE VIEWS ATTRIBUTED TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NEWSPAPERS. THE REVIEW WHICH WILL BE COMPLETED NEXT YEAR IS TAKING PLACE

AS I SAID IN MY STATEMENT, FULLY, GENUINELY AND GIVING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL ACCOUNT TO BE TAKEN OF THE VIEWS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG AND IT IS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE REVIEW THAT WE SHALL REACH THE TIME FOR TAKING DECISIONS ABOUT IT.

A

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