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Governor: I'll be answering questions on a number of subjects in the Legislative Council on Thursday, including questions on the handling of demonstrations here in Hong Kong which is of course one of the most peaceful, law-abiding, politically and socially stable places anywhere in the world. But perhaps I can make a couple of general observations about demonstrations and the showing of dissent in the context of the dialogue which appears to be taking place between the preparatory committee and Chinese officials and at least some representatives of opinion in Hong Kong. Clearly I think all of us believe that a dialogued discussion takes place best if everybody is involved in that dialogue and if everybody behaves in a rational and quiet and civilised way. That's my view, whoever's involved in the discussion and I think it's always better to try to win arguments than take your shirt off. I think that it always has more impact on people if you win a debate rather than feel that you have to employ more provocative or more demonstrative measures. We look in a free society and people have the freedom to set out their opinions in a peaceful way. I was pleased that some people have now been allowed to set out their views for the preparatory committee and for Chinese officials who's views may not accord precisely with those of Chinese officials. But I still think it's worrying that those who represent up to 70 per cent of opinion in Hong Kong are being excluded from the debate. I just repeat that I think that there are lessons for both sides. I think for Chinese officials, I think, one lesson is that this is a free and open society. We tolerate expressions of all sorts of opinion and it's a sign of strength and a sign of self-confidence it you try to embrace all shades of opinion in the debate and the message I suppose for people in Hong Kong is to make it clear to Chinese officials and to the world outside that we know how to conduct a debate on very important matters in a civilised way and don't need to break the law or flirt with breaking the law.
Question: What do you think about Raymond Ch'ien's comment on the provisional legislature...?
Governor: 1 answered questions on that in London. You may not have seen the answers that I gave. Nobody is in any doubt the Government's view. Nobody is in any doubt about the Legislative Council's view. Nobody is in any doubt about British Government's view. I think the community's view on the so called provisional legislature is also pretty clear. I've always taken a view that the Executive Council should reflect a broad sway of opinion in the community. I'd deliberately chosen an Executive Council which represents all shades of opinion, as intelligently and articulately as possible. And I am certainly not going to say that I can only work with an Executive Council which is a rubber stamp. I am certainly not going to try to exclude discussion and debate within the Executive Council when all of us are calling for wider discussion and debate with Chinese officials. Raymond Ch'ien is an extremely intelligent man. He's a very good and effective businessman and he's been a very considerable contributor to the Executive Council over the last four years and I am certainly not going to insist that he or anybody else takes a Trappist vow of silence for the next year. But he knows and other members of the Executive Council know exactly what the views of the Government are.