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Question: Governor, Director Lu Ping will come to Hong Kong on Friday, so will you plan to have a meeting with him after you come back to Hong Kong?
Governor: It depends how long he is here. I get back from Germany at about, I should think, half-past-six on Friday evening and I go straight to the Royal Hong Kong Police Beating the Retreat. But if Director Lu wishes to see me or to see the Chief Secretary, Anson Chan, then we would be happy to see him if it was possible. But I repeat, my diary, unless we could meet in mid-air, seems to make it rather difficult.
Question: Would you not clear a space in your diary to meet Director Lu?
Governor: Yes, but if I cleared a space in my diary, it would be a space at about 30,000 feet because on Friday I will be actually flying back from Frankfurt.
Question: Would you rather change your diary to meet him?
Governor: I can't change my return now, but if he would like to stay on for a few hours I would be delighted to see him. But you know this has become a ritual. You know perfectly well what the position of the Hong Kong Government is, you know perfectly well how courteous and open we have been in our invitations to Director Lu. The whole community knows where the problem lies.
Question: What about Mr Qian Qichen, are you going to meet him?
Governor: The position is identical. If he has time to meet either the Chief Secretary or me, we would be delighted to see him.
Question: And it is purely a coincidence then you are unable to meet him?
Governor: If you look back in your own newspaper files you will discover that the announcement about my trip to Europe preceded by some time any announcement of Mr Qian Qichen's visit to Hong Kong. But I understand Mr Qian will be coming on future occasions as well and anytime Mr Qian Qichen would like to see the Governor or the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong we would be delighted to see him.
I repeat, you should not be putting these questions to us, you should be putting these questions to Chinese officials. And you know perfectly well what the answer you would get would be. This becomes a ridiculous ritual. We are prepared to behave in a sensible and adult and constructive way.
Question: Mr Patten, on the Remembrance Day Ceremony for next year, would you expect the government will be represented?