TNAG-2734-FCO40-3942-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 94

GOVERMENT HOUSE HONG KONG.

FRI 12 MAR 93 07:03

PG.19

RESTRICTED

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Q26

A26

Why are you not leading the delegation?

Talks would be likely to absorb a great deal of time

for the negotiating team and in my role as Governor

I have many responsibilities to carry out here in

Hong Kong. But I would be closely in touch with the progress of any talks which I have no doubt would be

carried out with firmness and skill by the Ambassador and our colleagues from Hong Kong and

London.

Q27 Doesn't the fact that the Ambassador would be

leading the delegation mean that China has succeeded

in by-passing Hong Kong?

A27

No.

Hong Kong Government officials will be members of our team. If talks take place, they

would be in close touch with me and have

immediate access to me at all times.

As is widely known, the British Government fully

supports the approach that I have adopted and

the proposals which I have put forward. They

have said so in public many times. That

position has not changed, so the British and

Hong Kong components of the team would be

working from exactly the same brief,

No question of a deal being reached without our

endorsement,

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