1989-01-11 23:49 G.I.S
5
33 P.06
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 1989
CHAN BO SHUN (HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL): I WOULD LIKE TO ASK BECAUSE SOME DEMOCRATS IN HONG KONG ARE ASKING FOR A REFERENDUM IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 TO DETERMINE THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE SAR. AND IN UK'S VIEW DO YOU THINK IT IS AN APPROPRIATE SUGGESTION?
LORD GLENARTHUR : WELL, IT IS AN ISSUE WHICH IS REALLY UP TO THE BASIC LAW DRAFTERS TO DECIDE THE FORM OF CONSIDERATION THAT SHOULD TAKE PLACE ON THE SECOND DRAFT. I MEAN, IT IS A LIVE ISSUE AT THE MOMENT. IT HAS TO BE LOOKED AT BY THOSE CONCERNED BUT IT IS CLEARLY A FACT THAT THE MORE THE HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO REACH A CLEAR VIEW ON THE WAY FORWARD, THE EASIER IT IS GOING TO BE FOR THE DRAFTERS TO TAKE THOSE VIEWS INTO ACCOUNT.
YOU
JOHN ELLIOT (FINANCIAL TIMES): WHICH OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE APPROACHED ABOUT TAKING REFUGEES AND WHAT LEVEL OF RESPONSE DO YOU REQUIRE FROM THEM IN ORDER TO TRIGGER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S WILLINGNESS TO TAKE THE THOUSAND?
LORD GLENARTHUR : ALL THE MAIN RESETTLEMENT COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN APPROACHED. YOU ONLY HAVE TO LOOK AT A LIST OF THOSE THAT HAVE SO FAR TAKEN RESETTLEMENT CASES TO KNOW WHO THOSE ARE. THE LEVEL OF APPROACH WE HAVE TO JUDGE IN THE LIGHT OF THE RESPONSES THAT WE GET.
AS I SAID, THE INITIAL RESPONSES ARE ENCOURAGING. WE HAVE ACTUALLY NOW GOT TO SEE MEAT BEING PUT ON THE BONES OF THOSE RESPONSES BEFORE WE CAN JUDGE.
ELSE,
JOHN ELLIOT: BUT YOU MUST HAVE SOME IDEA, IF YOU HAVE SAID YOU WILL DO SOMETHING ON CONDITION OF SOMEBODY ELSE DOING SOMETHING YOU MUST HAVE SOME IDEA OF WHAT YOU EXPECT THOSE PEOPLE TO DO?
LORD GLENARTHUR: I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE WILL BE A SATISFACTORY ONE. WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THAT RESPONSE IS. BEYOND THAT I CAN'T GO.
STEVE VINES (OBSERVER): CAN I ASK YOU ABOUT YOUR REMARKS ON THE BASIC LAW, YOU SAY YOU WILL BE LOOKING AT THE SECOND DRAFT ΤΟ MAKE SURE THAT IT COMPLIES WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. HAVING SEEN THE FIRST DRAFT, WERE THERE ANY ELEMENTS IN THE FIRST DRAFT THAT YOU FELT DIDN'T COMPLY WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND WERE THOSE ISSUES RAISED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT?
LORD GLENARTHUR: I THINK THAT THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES ARE WELL AWARE OF THE CONCERN THAT WAS EXPRESSED IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT FORA FROM HONG KONG PARTICULARLY ON THE PERCEIVED INADEQUACIES OF THE BASIC LAW. INDEED FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN PARLIAMENT WHERE WE HAD A DEBATE ON IT IN THE LORDS, AND INDEED THERE WAS ONE IN THE COMMONS AS WELL, A NUMBER OF CASES WHERE, A NUMBER OF ISSUES WERE RAISED THERE, AND I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT DUE NOTE WAS TAKEN OF THEM BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, WE NOW HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT THE NEW DRAFT PRODUCES. I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT THERE WILL BE A NUMBER SATISFACTORY CHANGES THERE.
OF
/STEVE VINES :
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