TNAG-2917-FCO40-4192-International-support-from-Australasia-regarding-the-future--1993 — Page 26

SOCIETY WHICH ARE, IN FACT, REFLECTED IN THE 1984 SINO-BRITISH JOINT

ECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. THE RULE OF LAW AND INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY, BOTH OF WHICH ARE EMBODIED IN THAT DECLARATION, HAVE CERTAINLY BEEN KEY ELEMENTS IN HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY EXPRESSED TO BOTH CHINA AND BRITAIN OUR SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORM WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS OF THAT JOINT DECLARATION AND ALSO THE BASIC LAW OF 1990 AND WHICH IS, OF COURSE, MOREOVER, MANIFESTLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

WE DO HOPE THAT CHINA AND BRITAIN WILL BE ABLE TO AGREE ON A MORE DEMOCRATIC AND RESPONSIVE POLITICAL SYSTEM BEING INTRODUCED BEFORE 1997, ALTHOUGH IT DOES HAVE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE PRESENT SIGNS ARE NOT ONES THAT GIVE MUCH CAUSE FÜR ÜPTIMISM IN THAT RESPECT, AND THAT IS A MATTER FOR CONSIDERABLE REGRET .

SENATOR HILL MR PRESIDENT, I ASK A SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION AS THAT DID NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION AT ALL. WAS THE STATEMENT OF CONVERSATION CORRECTLY QUOTED BY ME? IS IT ACCURATE THAT MR KEATING SAID: AUSTRALIA IS NOT PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH PATTEN'S MODUS OPERANDI OR HIS TAKING AN INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S POLITICAL SITUATION SO LATE IN THE PIECE. GIVEN WHAT THE MINISTER HAS JUST SAID, DOES IT NOW MEAN THAT MR KEATING DID NOT UNDERSTAND HIS OWN GOVERNMENT'S POSITION? WAS IT THAT HIS PERSONAL POSITION DIFFERED FROM THAT OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT? OR WAS HE SIMPLY SEEKING TO IMPRESS CHINA'S LEADERS?

SENATOR GARETH EVANS

IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO CONFIRM OR DENY WHAT PURPORTS TO BE A RECORD OF A PRIME MINISTERIAL PRIVATE CONVERSATION. THOSE RECORDS ARE CONFIDENTIAL AND SHOULD PROPERLY REMAIN SO. I WILL SAY, HOWEVER, JUST THIS: EVEN AS REPORTED, THOSE REMARKS DO NOT CARRY THE WEIGHT THAT BOTH THE HEADLINE OF THIS REPORT AND SENATOR HILL SEEK TO PLACE UPON THEM.