FROM HERE, IS THAT IF WE WERE GOING TO HAVE AN AGREEMENT IT SHOULD ENABLE US TO GET AHEAD WITH THE PROJECT, TAKE THE SORT OF DECISIONS THAT NEEDED TO AND TAKE THEM QUICKLY. THAT WAS THE KEY POINT FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, WE WANTED TO KNOW THAT WE HAD THE AUTHORITY AND THE ABILITY TO GET AHEAD WITH THE AGREEMENT. NOW, I WON'T GO AND LIST ALL THE THINGS WHERE WE ORIGINALLY HAD DISAGREEMENTS AND WHICH WE'VE NOW MANAGED TO SOLVE BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE TURNING WHAT I THINK IS A POSITIVE PIECE OF NEWS INTO LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT PROBLEMS THAT ONE HAD HAD TO FACE ON THE WAY TO GETTING THERE.
REGGIE RATHOUR (RTHK): BUT SURELY YOU CAN TELL US WHAT WAS THE MAJOR PROBLEM, THE MAJOR OBSTACLE.
THE GOVERNOR: ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS WAS TO GET EXACTLY THAT SORT OF AGREEMENT THAT I HAVE DESCRIBED; THAT GAVE US THE CONFIDENCE TO GET AHEAD WITH THIS SORT OF PROJECT. IF WE WERE GOING TO, IF WE ARE GOING TO LAUNCH HONG KONG ON A MASSIVE PROJECT OF THIS SIZE THEN WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN TAKE THE DECISIONS, TAKE THEM QUICKLY AND GET AHEAD WITH IT.
REGGIE RATHOUR (RTHK): SO DO YOU THINK WITH THIS AGREEMENT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED THAT DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE THAT YOU WANTED IN THE FIRST PLACE?
THE GOVERNOR: YES.
NGOK SHAN-SHAN (WEN WEI PO): HOW IS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GOING TO IMPLEMENT THE MEMORANDUM REACHED BY THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS?
THE GOVERNOR: I AM SORRY I MISSED A BIT OF THAT. HOW IS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GOING TO IMPLEMENT–
NGOK SHAN-SHAN (WEN WEI PO):
REACHED.
THE MEMORANDUM, THIS MEMORANDUM
THE GOVERNOR: THAT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER. HOW ARE WE GOING TO IMPLEMENT IT. WE WILL SIMPLY IMPLEMENT IT AS IT IS WRITTEN DOWN THERE. WE WILL OF COURSE FULLY IMPLEMENT WHAT IS IN THE MEMORANDUM. WHAT IT DOES IS GIVE US THE ABILITY NOW TO GET AHEAD WITH THE PROJECT WHICH WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO ALL ALONG, BUT OF COURSE WE WILL FULLY IMPLEMENT THE MEMORANDUM.
CATHERINE LEUNG (BUSINESS TIMES): THE AGREEMENT STATES THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL CONSULT THE CHINESE ON MATTERS STRADDLING 1997. DOES THAT MEAN THAT CHINA WILL NOT HAVE VETO POWERS OVER THOSE ISSUES?
THE GOVERNOR: IT'S THE POINT OF CONSULTATION I THINK, I REMEMBER IT CAME UP WHEN THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY WAS HERE. WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM ABOUT CONSULTATION, IT'S CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NECESSARY. ON THE VETO POWERS THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER HIMSELF, I REMEMBER QUITE RECENTLY, MADE THE POINT THAT CHINA IS NOT SEEKING, I THINK HE PUT IT, IS NOT SEEKING JOINT ADMINISTRATION, IS NOT SEEKING A CONDOMINIUM, IT'S NOT SEEKING A VETO. SO HE MADE THAT VERY CLEAR AND THE WAY IN WHICH THIS AGREEMENT IS REACHED I THINK FOLLOWS WHAT THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER SAID.
SO'd
OPST LES 258 +
'S'I'O
OS:TZ 1661-NL-PO
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