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Governor's transcript
The following is the transcript of the media session given by the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, at the opening of the New Hong Kong St John Ambulance Headquarters this (Friday) afternoon.
Question: Two members from the liberal flagship have flown to Beijing yesterday and were expelled by the Chinese police during a petition towards the preparatory committee and have been sent back to Hong Kong. What would be your comments on this?
Governor: Well, I haven't seen the details of the case and the detail reasons of their return to Hong Kong so rapidly. All that I would say is that these sort of things wouldn't happen if senior Chinese officials were prepare to talk to representatives of majority opinion here in Hong Kong. There will be plenty of opportunities for them to do so in the coming weeks, and very much hope they take advantage of those opportunities.
Question: What does this spell for post-1997...........?
Governor: Well, the point I want to stress is the importance of dialogue. Last August I think it was, vice-premier Qian Qichen suggested that contacts with the democrats could be open up and that a real debate with them could commence. I think the sooner we see that happen the better. You can't simply freeze out majority opinion in Hong Kong, you can't simply anathematise majority opinion, you have to talk to people, you have to involve everybody in the decision making about the future of this territory, not just a chosen few.
Question: The selection committee.....409 shortlist members and the high proportion of businessmen........... Would you comment on that? The Chinese government would like......businessmen ruling Hong Kong future.
Governor: Well, as you know the promise is that Hong Kong people should run Hong Kong, and I hope that means everybody being involved in the process, but I don't want to comment particularly on the membership of the selection committee. I am sure the community will form a view about that and form a view about the whole process.
Question: Would you comment on the report that Xu Jiatun has said that... British tries to increase influence after 1997?
Governor: Who said that?