ATTORNEY GENERAL :
SUR, AS TO THE FIRST PART OF THAT QUESTION UNDERSTOOD THAT THIS WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS PUT DOWN FOR ORAL REPLY AND INDEED I HAVE GIVEN MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL MY ORAL REPLY. AS OF THE SECOND, THE ANSWER MS AS HAVE INDICATED ALREADY, INDEED WHEN ANSWERED THE PREVIOUS QUESTION IN THIS COUNCIL, PUBLIC INTEREST CONSIDERATIONS ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN PROSECUTION DECHRSONS ARE TAKEN AND THEY MAY WELL BE RELEVANT AT THE INVESTIGATION STAGE ASWELL. BUT SIR», »h'VE ALREADY HINDICATED THAT IN THESE TWO PARTICULAR CASES THAT MR LEE HAS REFERRED TO, THE PRIMARY CONSIDERATION IS THAT WHICH HAVE INDICATED.
MR JACKIE CHAN (IN CHINESE)
MR CHARMAN, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL WHETHER THE LOCAL MED HA CAN TAKE THESE CASES AS PRECEDENTS FOR REPORTING IN FUTURE. AND IF SO, WILL THIS AFFECT THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT OF THIS PUBLIC ORDER ORDNANCE?
ATTORNEY GENERAL:
SIR'VE ALREADY HINDICATED WHAT #CONCEIVE TO BE THE PURPOSE OF THIS LEGISLATION. IF CASES ARISE IN WHICH THERE APPEAR TO BE NO MORE THAN DNSPUTES ABOUT WHAT WAS SAND NN THE COURSE OF AN INTERVIEW TO A REPORTER, SO NOT THINK THAT THAT ES ORDINARILY THE BUSINESS OF THE CRIMINAL LAW.
DR CONRAD LAM:
SMR WOULD THE ATTORNEY GENERAL KINDLY CONFIRM THAT NONE OF THE PUBLISHERS OF MR L## HOU'S STATEMENT INCLUDING, THAT IS, IN PARTICULAR THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY, HAVE SOUGHT TO CONTEND AFTER MR L'S DENUAL THAT MR Lb DID INFACT MAKE THE STATEMENT?
ATTORNEY GENERAL:
SUR, NT IS A QUESTION WHICH DEALS WITH PARTICULAR MATTERS OF FACT AND #BELIEVE THE ANSWER HIS NO, BUT WILL CERTAINLY CHECK AGAIN MY REFERENCES TO THE CUTTINGS TO SEE IF CAN GIVE ANYMORE ACCURATE ANSWER.
MR DESMOND LEE :
IN MY EARLIER QUESTION TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE RUMOURS
REFERRED TO ARE STATEMENTS THAT DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 1988 ARE CONTRARY
TO THE JOHNT DECLARATION WHICH STATEMENT HAS SUBSEQUENTLY BEEN REFUTED BY A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT.
ATTORNEY GENERAL :
SUR, THE STANDING ORDERS MAKE IT CLEAR THAT NO QUESTION CAN BE ASKED IN RELATION TO HYPOTHETICAL PROPOSITIONS. IS MR LEE PUTTING A HYPOTHETICAL CASE TO ME? BECAUSE HE IS NOT ENTITLED TO AN ANSWER F
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