TNAG-2767-FCO40-3984-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 77

22 MAR 193 13:49

THE BROADCAST Monitoring COMPANY

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INTERVIEW WITH OHRIS PATTEN

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Date

Timo

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BBC RADIO €

:

21.3.92

13:40

BROADCAST REPORT

business community and they feel that it is going to be provented by the sort of actions you're taking,

CHRIS PATTEN:

Well, it's perfectly true that there has boor urease in parts of the business community. It's equally friim that there's been very cunsiderable support for the position that we've taken. We've enjayou perry consistently in the polls 2.0:1 support. My own persona, pusition has been, in some of the múst recent polls, about 65% against just over 20% opposition, which I would have always sottled for, I have in say, during my political life.

NICK CLARKE:

So, you're confident that despite all the problers, you still have basically the support of people in Hong Kong? You feel you represent their interests still in every way!

CHRIS PATTEN;

Well, very mucli so, but let me make two things clear. First of all, the British Government, and the same is true of me, do not wish to go further than pecole Hong Kong are prepared to go. Equally, we don't think we should go less far than people in Hong Kong are prepared to go. That's our basic principle on which we're going to stand

Secondly, what are we talking about? We're talking partly not about a great extension of democracy, but we're talking partly about whether we have a credible legislative council in Hong Kông, rather than a legislative council which is just a rubber stamp. We think that that is an important part of the rule of law. It's important as one of the guarantors of Hong Kong's way of life and we think that it's Hong Kong's way of life which is one of the reasons for Hong Kong's prosperity. Take away the rule of law, take away free press. freedom of assembly, all the other freedoms of Hong Kong, and you wouldn't have such a good place to du luusiness in, you wouldn't have the sort of place where businessmen want to invest.

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