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Mrs Elizabeth Wong: Thank you Mr President. This time last week I wished the CS well in her visit to Beijing. Today I would like to register my appreciation of the effort that our Chief Secretary has, on behalf of Hong Kong, put in; particularly, she has put in her best foot forward in the diplomatic cha-cha-cha of a dialogue with China.
But I would like to ask a question, nevertheless. I would like to ask whether the CS considers that she is fighting a lost cause, particularly with reference to the Provisional Legislature, because of her response? She said it was neither necessary nor desirable; and she said that there was nothing she could do to help with the setting up. But did she or did she not say that the setting up of the Provisional Legislature is in fact in breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law and is therefore illegal. This was put to us quite categorically in the reply by Mr Robin Cook this morning.
CS: Mr President, I made it clear to Mr Lu, not just on this occasion but on previous occasions, that in the view of the British and Hong Kong Government there is no need for the setting up of a Provisional Legislature. There is, indeed, no mention of a Provisional Legislature in either the Joint Declaration or the Basic Law. In our view it is best for continuity and confidence for the existing Legislature to serve out its full four year term. That has been our position and it will remain our position.
Mr Albert Ho (in Chinese): Thank you Mr President. The Chief Secretary and Mr Lu Ping discussed the transition of the civil service as one of its items. Now this is an item of concern in the legal sector with respect to the interpretation of Article 93 of the Basic Law. I do not know, in fact, whether the Secretary has dealt with this issue with Mr Lu Ping and if not, in fact can you give us a clarification on the transition of legal personnel in Hong Kong?
CS: Mr President, we did not specifically discuss this issue but on the basis that I hope to have a continuing dialogue with Mr Lu, I would of course be very happy to take up this issue with him at an appropriate time.
Miss Margaret Ng: Thank you Mr President. Mr President, with respect to the Provisional Legislative Council, the Government had used in the past the word Is this word now being dropped as "unjustifiable" to describe such proposal.
somewhat too strong and the weaker words of "unnecessary and undesirable" are used in substitution? Thank you Mr President.
CS: Mr President, I believe I have used various words in describing and reiterating our position on the Provisional Legislature. Certainly, the word "unjustifiable" has been used by me on more than one occasion.
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