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If Chinese officials don't accept that proposal, then what we will try to do is to make sure that by 30 June, there is a Blue Bill which the SAR Government can deal with after I July,
Now I hope I have made that clear. I didn't want an argument about this, the government didn't want an argument about this. We have been working for months to try to get a solution. Unfortunately, I think there are some people who are more concerned about the provisional legislature than they are about right of abode. Okay? Any other subjects?
Question: Mr Patten, our other question is that the Chinese Foreign Ministry has accused Mr Martin Lee of trying to invite foreign forces to meddle in Hong Kong's affairs, and that he's tried to blacken Hong Kong's name. And also his vision ... that of financial interests of people who wish to come to Hong Kong. How do you react to these sort of comments?
Governor: Well that is just abusive propaganda, it doesn't amount to any description of reality. I'd like to say something about the invitations Mr Lee has actually made. As you know, we had invited the Secretary of State in Washington, Madeleine Albright, to attend the handover ceremony. I am delighted that Mr Lee was able to give her that invitation as well in the name of his party, the largest and most popular party in Hong Kong. I am delighted he was able to say which is true - that everybody in Hong Kong wants Madeleine Albright to come to the handover, and I am of course absolutely delighted that Madeleine Albright has said that she will come as a mark of the United States' continuing affection for and interest in Hong Kong. So the first thing that I want to say is that I am very pleased that Mr Lee spoke as he did when he met Madeleine Albright.
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Secondly, as you all know, in the United States as in Hong Kong, Mr Lee has very considerable credibility as the leader of the largest political party in Hong Kong, as the politician who has received the most support in Hong Kong. He also has considerable credibility because many Americans readily identify with the values that he expresses, and with his concern for freedom and democracy.
So I think we should all be very grateful to Mr Lee that using that position he has spoken out so forcefully for the renewal of MFN. His remarks on the subject are taken very seriously by members of the House of Representatives, by senators and by the administration. They will have listened to him, I think, with very great seriousness and I am delighted that he spoke with all his authority as he did.
So I would like to express my gratitude to him. I'm sure that leaders of the business community in Hong Kong would also like to express their gratitude to Mr Lee for speaking out on an issue which is so important to Hong Kong's economic well- being and prosperity. In calling for the renewal of MFN he spoke well for Hong Kong and I am very pleased about that. Thank you very much.
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