XN000022-1993-01-06 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 1993

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GOVERNOR OFFERS CONDOLENCES TO ROBBERY VICTIM

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WAS

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TODAY (WEDNESDAY) OFFERED HIS CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF THE WOMAN VICTIM WHO SHOT DEAD IN A YAU MA TEI ROBBERY EARLIER IN THE DAY.

"LIKE THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY, I WAS EXTREMELY CONCERNED HEAR ABOUT THE SHOOTING TODAY AND THE ARMED ROBBERY, AND THE DEATH AN INNOCENT BY-STANDER, MR PATTEN TOLD REPORTERS AFTER TOURING NORTH DISTRICT.

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TO

OF

THE

"I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER MY CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY OF THE WOMAN WHO IS SO TRAGICALLY KILLED. ALL OF US, I'M SURE, OFFER OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS TO HER FAMILY."

HE ALSO HAS A MESSAGE TO GO OUT TO ANYONE CONTEMPLATING CRIME:

"WE

WILL NOT HESITATE IN OUR EFFORT TO ROOT OUT VIOLENT CRIME SUCH AS WE'VE SEEN TODAY. THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, THE WHOLE POLICE FORCE ARE DETERMINED TO FIGHT CRIME AS VIGOROUSLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN AND THEY HAVE THE WHOLE-HEARTED SUPPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE IN THAT."

THE GOVERNOR SAID MORE POLICE WERE BEING PUT ON THE STREET IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE SORT OF CRIME THAT OCCURRED TODAY.

"SO

TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE WE WILL BE VIGILANT IN TRYING TO STEM OUT THAT SENSELESS VIOLENT CRIME.

"I KNOW IT'S CONDEMNED BY THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, A COMMUNITY WHICH IS ONE OF THE FEW IN THE WORLD THAT CAN SPEAK OF A FALL IN THE OVERALL CRIME RATE.

"BUT THAT'S OF NO COMFORT WHEN ONE HAS TO SEE A CRIME LIKE THE ONE THAT WAS PERPETRATED TODAY, HE SAID.

RESOURCES

ASKED ABOUT THE FORTHCOMING VISIT OF CO-OPERATIVE CENTRE (CRC) MEMBERS TO LONDON, MR PATTEN SAID THE PRIME MINISTER, JOHN MAJOR, WILL BE SEEING CRC LEADER MR ALLEN LEE AND HIS GROUP.

MR

"I'M SURE THAT HE'LL BE INTERESTED IN LISTENING TO WHAT MR LEE AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY, AND IN PARTICULAR TO HEARING WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY PROPOSALS TO PUT FORWARD ABOUT THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG, BECAUSE MANY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY HAVE DONE SO ALREADY, MOST OF THE GROUPS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL HAVE DONE SO.

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HE ALSO SAID THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WITH SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG MET LEGISLATORS WHENEVER THEY COULD WHEN THEY WERE VISITING LONDON.

ON MEETINGS BETWEEN THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF BRITAIN AND CHINA, THE GOVERNOR SAID:

WOULD CONTINUE

"I WOULD ANTICIPATE THAT SEQUENCE OF MEETINGS INTO THE FUTURE BECAUSE IT'S CERTAINLY VERY USEFUL FOR THE KINGDOM AND THE PRC AND THEREFORE IT'S USEFUL FOR HONG KONG AS

UNITED WELL.

M

/IN REPLY