TNAG-2714-FCO40-3920-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 20

14-JUL-1993

14:38

TRANSCRIPT

0491 579838

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SELECT COMMITTEE

14 JULY 93

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Gallagher

MR ALASTAIR GOODLAD

those people who advocated democracy in Hong Kong but also after June 1989 advocated the overthrow of the then and now Chinese government. I think that helps to explain why their attitudes have hardened in the way that they have.

MR HARRIS:

Could I question you about something you said in your statement about the negotiations, you said we have not set a deadline but we do not have unlimited time.

Some people might think that is having it both ways on that.

Could you say how damaging you think

this continuing uncertainty is to Hong Kong, and indeed to our relationship with Hong Kong, If it continues do you think it is going to be a major factor in perhaps bringing about, I hope it does not happen, some degree of instability in Hong Kong or not? And despite those balancing points which you made in your statement, how long do you think we can go on with this

uncertainty, can we for example let it drag on to next year or don't you know how long you are prepared to wait for an agreement?

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MR GOODLAD:

Thank you very much indeed, I welcome the opportunity of replying to that. We want to give the talks every chance of success. People in Hong Kong want the talks to have every chance of success, they appreciate, as we appreciate, that it is not helpful to give the talks the best of chance of success to lay down firm deadlines now, it would not produce a helpful reaction. It is quite clear that talks cannot go on forever because we need to