2
Question: The PWC will be dismissed this afternoon and the PWC will start the work. Do you think there will be more conflict or co-operation because some of the PWC members predict that there will still be conflict...?
Governor: Well, I hope that if the members of the Preparatory Committee who come from Hong Kong speak up for Hong Kong's interest, there will be much less argument. There will clearly be less argument if the Preparatory Committee members for Hong Kong are representative of all the views in the community. But I don't choose the members of the Preparatory Committee. When I make choices, I try to draw people from a broad section. For example, the Executive Council that I have in Hong Kong is broadly reflective of all the views in the community. And I think that gives it strength. The problems that have been in the last few weeks have not been caused by any of us in Hong Kong. There have been things said which seem to us to undermine our autonomy. There have been things said about our civil liberties. There have been things said about our levels of decent welfare provision. And I think the best thing for all for us to do would be to put those arguments behind us and hope that now that Director Lu is back at the office and in full health that we can turn a page and get on with a more co-operative and understanding approach to Hong Kong's problems.
Question: Do you ... that we get the Executive Council members to be the ...?
Governor: As I say, I don't choose the Preparatory Committee. But I am sure that if any of my Executive Councillors were approached, they would discuss the matter with their colleagues on the Executive Council and with me. As far as I am concerned, the more experienced and the more knowledgeable the members of the Preparatory Committee and the more they reflect the breadth of views in Hong Kong the better. That is in all our interest.
End