TNAG-1633-FCO40-2249-Ministerial-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong--including-visit-1988 — Page 52

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PART ONE OF FOUR

TRANSCRIPT OF LORD GLENARTHUR'S

PRESS CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 19, 1987

MINISTER

FOLLOWING IS THE OPENING STATEMENT BY LORD GLENARTHUR, OF STATE AT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1987.

''GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CAN I START BY SAYING HOW GLAD I AM TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MANY MEMBERS OF THE PRESS. IT IS ALSO NICE TO SEE AMONGST YOU ONE OR TWO FACES WHO HAVE BECOME QUITE FAMILIAR OVER THE LAST TWO OR THREE DAYS AS I HAVE GONE

ROUND HONG KONG.

AS YOU KNOW, I WAS APPOINTED MINISTER WITH A SPECIAL RESPONSIB- ILITY FOR HONG KONG IN JUNE OF THIS YEAR AFTER THE GENERAL ELECTION. THAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG IS ONE WHICH IT IS A PARTICULAR PRIVILEGE FOR ME TO HAVE AND IT IS ONE TO WHICH I SHALL DEVOTE PARTICULAR ENERGY.

ONE OF THE FIRST DECISIONS I MADE ON BEING APPOINTED TO MY NEW JOB WAS THAT I SHOULD COME TO HONG KONG BEFORE GOING ANYWHERE ELSE IN FACT, WITHIN MY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY AND I AM VERY GLAD THAT

I HAVE NOW BEEN ABLE TO DO SO. THE FACT THAT I HAVE DONE SO REFLECTS NOT ONLY MY OWN PRIORITIES BUT ALSO THE VERY GREAT IMPORTANCE WHICH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT ATTACH TO THEIR CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG AND TO ITS PEOPLE. A KEY OBJECTIVE IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IS TO ENSURE THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION IS IMPLEMENTED IN FULL AND TO SECURE THE CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG.