TNAG-2723-FCO40-3929-UK-opposition-parties-and-Hong-Kong-1993 — Page 5

por. R. opposites

(orig)

THE FOLLOWING IS TRANSCRIPT OF THE RT HON PADDY ASHDOWN AT CONFERENCE ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1993.

MRASHDOWN:

A PRESS

GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THANK COMING ALONG. IT IS NOW 4.30 SO I THINK WE WILL START

YOU FOR I AM QUITE HAPPY, AFTERWARDS, IF YOU WISH AND YOU THINK I

STRAIGHTAWAY. ANYTHING INTERESTING ENOUGH,

HAVE SAID TO GIVE YOU SEPARATE PEOPLE WOULD LIKE.

INTERVIEWS, FIRST OF ALL, I AM VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL

IF SPARING A LITTLE TIME TO COME AND CHAT WITH ME THIS

FOR THINKS WE CAN ACTUALLY BE QUITE QUICK, I DON'T THINK

AFTERNOON. I ANYTHING PARTICULARLY NEW TO SAY TO YOU.

I WILL HAVE PREVIOUS

FOR THOSE WHO VISITS TO HONG KỌNG, I THINK I AM PROBABLY RIGHT

FOLLOWED MY THAT THIS IS MY FIFTH OR SIXTH VISIT TO HONG KONG SINCE I

IN SAYING ELECTED. YOU WILL KNOW THAT I HAVE TAKEN RATHER A CLOSE INTEREST

HAVE BEEN HONG KONG AFFAIRS.

IN

FOR BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, I WAS A

HONG KONG FROM 1967 TO '70 WHEN I WAS STUDYING AS

RESIDENT MANDARIN, AND I HAVE ALWAYS FELT A PARTICULAR AFFECTION FOR HONG KONG, A STUDENT OF AND THAT AS A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT I HAVE A CERTAIN SENSE OF GRATITUDE IN SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE TO REPAY FOR THE KINDNESSES THAT I IN HONG KÒNG WHEN I WAS HERE IN 1967.

RECEIVED AND SO AS SOON AS I WAS ELECTED

I THINK I CAME OUT TO HONG KONG THE YEAR I WAS `ELECTED AND BEEN HERE FIVE TIMES SINCE, INCLUDING, IN THE FEW DAYS AFTER TIAN

I HA MEN, AND I WAS HERE LAST YEAR ON A SIMILAR VISIT. HAS BEEN RATHER

THIS YEAR MY SHORTER, I HAVE ONLY REALLY

VIS WEEKEND AND UNFORTUNATELY LEAVE TONIGHT.

BEEN HERE SINCE Τ

THE PURPOSE OF MY VISIT HAS BEEN SIMPLE, IT HAS BEEN A VISIT WE ARE

FACT NOW MOVING TOWARDS A

FINDING DECISTONS THAT MUST BE TAKEN ABOUT HONG KONG'S FUTURE. AND I THINK

CRUCIAL NEXT STAGE IN THE CAN SAY TO YOU THAT I SPOKE TO THE FOREIGN SECRETARY BEFORE LEAVING

I AND 30 CHIS OFFICE

AND I SAID TO HIM THAT UNACCEPTABLE THAT WE HAD NOT HAD A DEBATE ON THIS GREAT ISSUE OF HONG IT SEEMED TO ME KONG IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN THE LAST YEAR AND I THOUGHT THAT OUGHT TO HAVE A HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. I DON'T BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MISREPRESENTING THE GOVERNMENT

IF I WERE TO SAY THAT I ANTICIPATE THAT

OF THE SHOULD BE HELD BEFORE CHRISTMAS, AND I THINK THAT IS ALSO THE VIEW OF SUCH A DEBATE THE GOVERNMENT, AND CERTAINLY, OF THE FOREIGN WHEN, NONE OF US CAN BE CERTAIN.

SECRETARY. PRECISELY THAT DEBATE WOULD BE LIKELY TO BE

VIEWS

WE

AND

HELD ON THE GOVERNMENT'S TERMS, THEY WOULD IDENTIFY A DATE FOR IT, BUT IF NOT, IT MAY WELL BE THAT MY PARTY WILL SEEK TO INITIATE A DEBATE IN THÉ!! HOUSE OF COMMONS BY THE END OF THE YEAR, MECHANISMS. THAT WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO DO THAT, AND I WOULD

USING ONE OF THE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE LIKELY TO COME

HAVE JUST BEFORE OR JUST AFTER THE GOVERNOR MAKES HIS, PROPOSALS TO LEGCO.

IT IS DIFFICULT TO SAY WHETHER.

DURING MY TIME HERE I HAVE MET WITH MOST OF PEOPLE ON THE HONG

THE KONG

KEY POLITICAL SCENE BUSINESSMEN AS WELL, ENGAGED IN HONG KONG MATTERS. I MET WITH

AND WITH ONE OR TWO GOVERNOR, I MET WITH MR MARTIN LEE, EMILY LAU, LYDIA DUNN, CHRISTINE THE LOH, JIMMY MCGREGOR, MR TSANG YOK SING, AND A VARIETY OF OTHERS.

I THINK I CAN BE FAIRLY BRIEF.

THOSE OF YOU

WHO MAY SPEECH, I

HIS,

REMEMBER MY VISIT HERE LAST YEAR MAY RECALL THAT I GAVE A THINK I AM RIGHT IN SAYING, THREE DAYS BEFORE THE GOVERNOR GAVE

HUB 01/9

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m21/100 The Morris 25/10 By Miss Saunders he wea

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1- Are we

are

Keeping significant statements

from mer? A've should...

Yes.

امازاده

Nd here: generally sensible en proposals, need to compromise.

Anti-referendrum

Pro- right of abode for all BDT