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LORD

HONG KONG

WORK WITH

THAT

CONTINUE TO WILL THEY ON THE THE

CAITHNESS: WHAT EXACTLY, IS TO PUT OVER THE MESSAGE IS A GOOD PLACE FOR THE FUTURE, THAT WE WILL

KONG THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, THE HONG

GOVERNMENT OBVIOUSLY DO THINGS AS THEY HAVE DONE BEFORE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, WILL GET SUPPORT FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, WE WILL FIGHT INTERNATIONAL SCENE FOR HONG KONG AND FOR HONG KONG'S POSITION IN SAME WAY AS

WE HAVE BEEN DOING BEFORE, BUT I WILL HAVE THE ADDED ADVANTAGE THAT WHEN I DO IT AT LEAST I WILL HAVE BEEN HERE

SIX FOR DAYS AND I HOPE TO COME AGAIN IN THE NOT TOO DISTANCE FUTURE TO REINFORCE MY VIEWS.

BETTY LIU, TVB NEWS: CAN YOU BE A BIB MORE SPECIFIC?

THE

LORD CAITHNESS: WELL, LET US TAKE ONE INSTANCE THEN. PERHAPS FUTURE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA, WHICH IS OF CONCERN TO A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE. FRANCIS MAUDE WENT THERE IN JULY TO RE-START THE NEGOTIATIONS. SINCE THEN, THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF MEETINGS. T HAVE TALKED TO THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR IN LONDON. THERE WILL BE A VISIT BY MPS TO AND FROM CHINA. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HOPES TO GO BUT A DATE IS NOT FIXED AS YET. BUT THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT AREA FOR THE STABILITY AND FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND IT IS AN AREA THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO TACKLE WITH, I HOPE, MORE AUTHORITY AS A RESULT OF WHAT I HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE TALKED TO ME HERE.

HARVEY PONG, WAH KJU YAT PAO: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THE GOVERNMENT DISCIPLINED STAFF WHO ARE GREATLY DISSATISFIED WITH THEIR PAY REVIEW?

LORD CAITHNESS: I HAD A VERY GOOD SESSTON WITH THE CIVIL SERVICE UNIONS AND THE DISCIPLINED STAFF THIS MORNING. IT LASTED ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF. THEY PUT THEIR CASE FORCIBLY ΤΟ ME. I WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER WHAT THEY HAVE SAID. BUT IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITION THAT MATTERS OF PAY AND CONDITIONS ARE SETTLED BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE SERVICES. THAT IS RIGHT, THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD CONTINUE. THERE HAS BEEN EXCO'S RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE STANDING COMMITTEE'S REPORT ON THE POLICE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A FURTHER STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE CIVIL SIDE OF THE CIVIL SERVICE THAT WILL BE REPORTING BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. IT IS BEST DEALT WITH AS IT HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN BETWEEN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT AND THE SERVICES. THAT IS NOT TO SAY WE ARE DISINTERESTED, BECAUSE IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR IT IS HELPFUL FOR ME TO HAVE HEARD THE VIEWS AT FIRST HAND AND I SAID TO THE SERVICES THAT I WOULD RELAY THOSE VIEWS TO THE GOVERNOR AND THAT I WILL DO.

CLAUDIA MO, AFP: CHINA HAS SAID IT PASSPORTS ISSUED UNDER LONDON'S PASSPORT PACKAGE. ENTIRE EXERCISE LOSE ITS MEANING?

WOULD NOT RECOGNISE

WILL THAT MAKE

THE

LORD CAITHNESS: NO, THE ENTIRE EXERCISE IS TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY HERE TO ADD STABILITY FOR HONG KONG.

•

/CLAUDIA MO, AFP:

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