TNAG-2392-FCO40-3478-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 28

24-APR-1992 1,6:58

JAMES LEE

P.07

TRANSCRIPT B

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MR.

CHRIS PATTEN

PC LONDON

24 APRIL 1992

- 6 -

QUESTION (SAME MAN):

In this situation though?

MR. PATTEN:

In this situation, it is my determination and objective to stand

up for the interests of the people of Hong Kong. That is the

Governor's primary responsibility. I think that one way in which

one can stand up for the interests of the people of Hong Kong is

by having a good and effective relationship with the Prime

Minister and with the Foreign Secretary and whatever my lack of

expertise in other areas, I don't think anybody could question

that I have a good and effective relationship with both John Major

and Douglas Hurd and I think if people looked back over the long

and murky reaches of my career, they would not necessarily assume

that doing what other people wanted was the primary characteristic

I had shown over that period.

QUESTION (EVENING CHRONICLE", BATH):

Would it be fair to say that the people of Bath have had more say

in this appointment than the people of Hong Kong?

MR. PATTEN:

It is certainly true to say that had I won my former seat this

month, I would have been unlikely to have been in a position in

which this offer would have been made to me but I recall the lines

from "As You Like It"

"Sweet are the uses of adversity"

→

and I

am delighted that the decision of the electorate of Bath, though