XN000022-1992-08-20 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 1992

GOVERNOR MEETS NCNA DIRECTOR

THE GOVERNOR,

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MR

CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (THURSDAY) MET THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW CHINA NEWS AGENCY (HONG KONG BRANCH), MR ZHOU NAN, FOR AN HOUR AND FORTY MINUTES OF DISCUSSIONS AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT HE WAS PLEASED TO SEE MR ZHOU IN GOOD HEALTH AND ADDED:

"ALTHOUGH THIS WAS NOT A NEGOTIATING SESSION, WE DID DISCUSS, VERY USEFULLY, MANY OF THE MAJOR ISSUES ON THE HONG KONG AGENDA. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY FRIENDLY FIRST MEETING, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO REGULAR AND PRODUCTIVE CONTACTS WITH THE DIRECTOR IN THE FUTURE."

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GOVERNOR PLEDGES TO REVIEW PRESS FREEDOMS

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY) THAT HE WAS PREPARED TO LOOK AGAIN AT WHAT MIGHT BE DONE TO IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND TO REINFORCE PRESS FREEDOMS.

MR PATTEN GAVE THIS UNDERTAKING DURING A MEETING AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE WITH A DELEGATION FROM THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION.

"WHILE [ REMAIN SCEPTICAL ABOUT THE VALUE OF GENERAL DECLARATORY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION LEGISLATION, I AM PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE ISSUES RAISED BY

JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION WITH AN OPEN MIND, MR PATTEN SAID.

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THE

THE JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION

DELEGATION EXPLAINED THEIR PROPOSAL FOR A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE AND THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT VARIOUS LAWS WHICH THEY CONSIDER TO BE A THREAT TO THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WOULD COMMISSION A REVIEW ΤΟ CONSIDER JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION'S CONCERNS AND TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC MEASURES WHICH MIGHT BE TAKEN TO ADDRESS THEM.

THE

HE EXPLAINED THAT THIS WORK COULD NOT BE COMPLETED IN TIME FOR HIS ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER

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BUT THAT HE HOPED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A DISCUSSION IN THE EXECUTIVE C'OUNCIL LATER IN THE AUTUMN.

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