A.
NO, AND OF COURSE HONG KONG HAS BEEN ENJOYING A SUBSTANTIAL DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN THAT RESPECT, NOT ALWAYS THROUGH BRITISH PARTICIPATION BUT FROM HONG KONG'S DIRECT PARTICIPATION IN A NUMBER OF SUCH ORGANISATIONS. NOW IT IS CLEARLY RECOGNISED IN THESE NEGOTIATIONS ALL THOSE INTERNATIONAL LINKS, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN GATT AND ARRANGEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT, WILL CONTINUE, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MATTERS WHICH WE SHALL BE WANTING TO SOLVE AND CARRY THROUGH INTO EFFECTIVE CONTINUITY BEYOND 1997. IT IS A POINT WELL UNDERSTOOD. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN ITS PARTICIPATION IN THE WHOLE RANGE OF INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS, INCLUDING THE ONE YOU HAVE IN MIND.
Q.
WILL HONG KONS BECOME A MEMBER OF GATT?
A.
WE CAN'T YET WORK OUT THE PRECISE MECHANICS.
THE
OBJECTIVE FOR THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG WITH
A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN GATT ARRANGEMENTS AND OTHER ARRANGEMENTS OF THAT KIND IS CLEAR. WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE POSSIBLE TO ACHIEVE THAT OBJECTIVE UNDER THE ARRANGEMENTS WE HAVE IN MIND.
DIS. JOHN DICKIE, DAILY MAIL
A.
MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPRESSED TO US FEARS THAT DESPITE YOUR SINCERITY AND DESPITE THE GOOD INTENTIONS TO ACHIEVE YOUR OBJECTIVES SUCH AS YOU HAVE SET OUT TODAY, IN SPITE ALL OF THAT, THEY MIGHT IN THE END BE FACED WITH A SELL OUT. WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO THEM, TO ASSURE THEM THAT THAT WON'T HAPPEN, AND THAT YOU WILL NOT IN THE END BE OBLIDED TO RECEPT SOMETHING WHEN IS
JUST THE BEST THAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED?
THE FACT IS THAT THE CONCEPT OF A SELL OUT, THE IDEA OF
A SELL OUT, IS QUITE UNTRUE, IT IS NOT AN OBJECTIVE WE HAVE. IN MIND, OR COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IN MIND. GUR COMMITMENT TO HONG
KONG IS TO DO OUR UTMOST TO SECURE THROUGH THESE NEGOTIATIONS THE FOUNDATIONS THAT I HAVE DESCRIBED AND THERE IS NO QUESTION OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT COMMENDING TO OUR PARIAMENT OR TO HONG KONG, AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD NOT OFFER PROSPECTS, ASSURED PROSPECTS, OF PRESERVING THAT WAY OF LIFE.
016. THERESA MA, FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW
WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL WHY THE TERMS OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, AS OPPOSED TO DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT WHICH HAS BEEN CALLED FOR BY VARIOUS GROUPS IN HONG KONG?
THE DEVELOPMENT OF INCREASINGLY REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT IN HONG KONG, IS OF COURSE, CURRENTLY DIRECTLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. STEPS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN TAKEN IN THAT DIRECTION, FURTHER PROGRESS IN THAT DIRECTION IS, AS I SAID IN MY STATEMENT, CLEARLY IN MIND, AND PROGRESS OF THAT KIND WHICH MAY TAKE DIFFERENT FORMS IS NOT FOR THE U.K. GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE, G SOMETHING WHICH THE U.K. GOVERNMENT WOULD CERTAINLY COMMEND BUT IT WILL BE FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE PRECISELY THE TIME SCALE AND WAY IN WHICH PROGRESS TOWARDS INCREASINGLY REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT WILL BE MADE.
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