XN000022-1994-02-24 — Page 20

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1994

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CS MEETS MEDIA AFTER LEGCO MEETING

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THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE LEGCO MEETING TODAY:

CHIEF SECRETARY: GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONG DAY FOR ALL OF US SO I WON'T DETAIN YOU FOR TOO LONG. AS YOU ALL KNOW THE FIRST STAGE BILL HAS PASSED WITH THE CLEAR MAJORITY AND THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL CLEARS THE WAY FOR THE SECOND PART OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM PACKAGE TO BE PUT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. WHEN THE GOVERNOR APPEARS IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL LATER TODAY TO ANSWER MEMBERS' QUESTIONS, HE WILL COMMENT ON THE CONtents of THE SECOND STAGE BILL AND THE TIMING FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS BILL. WE ARE OF COURSE VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE VOTING TODAY IT IS QUITE CLEAR THAT THE LEGISLATURE REFLECTING THE WIDER VIEW IN THE COMMUNITY WHICH IS TO PRESS AHEAD WITH THE PREPARATION AND ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION IN ORDER THAT WE CAN MAKE ALL THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. IT IS ALSO QUITE CLEAR FROM THE DEBATE THAT WE JUST HAD THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE ARE QUITE CAPABLE OF MAKING MATURE JUDGMENTS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF HONG KONG. OF COURSE WE REGRET HAVING TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS IN THE ABSENT OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE. WE HAVE AS YOU KNOW TRIED VERY HARD OVER THE PAST 18 MONTHS TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE HAVE NOT SUCCEEDED. BUT I HOPE VERY MUCH THAT THE CHINESE WILL APPRECIATE THAT THE TIME CONSTRAINTS MEAN THAT HAVE TO PRESS AHEAD WITH THE ENACTMENT OF LEGISLATION. I HOPE FURTHER THAT THE CHINESE WILL APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE THE WIDER INTEREST OP HONG KONG AT HEART. THE FACTS THAT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS DOES NOT I HOPE MEAN THAT WE CANNOT CO-OPERATE WITH THE CHINESE IN A WHOLE SERIES OF ISSUES WHICH CONCERN HONG KONG PEOPLE. THERE ARE MANY OF THESE AREAS. WE WILL DO OUR VERY BEST TO SEEK CO-OPERATION WITH THE CHINESE IN THE MONTHS AND YEARS AHEAD SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THE LONG TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG.

WE

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU THINK THAT THE DECISION MAY BE SHORT-LIVED AND THE CHINESE SIDE WILL SCRAP IT TILL AT 1997?

CHIEF SECRETARY: THE LEGISLATURE REFLECTING THE VIEWS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE CLEARLY ENDORSED THE PASSAGE OF THIS BILL. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS BILL ΤΟ BE FOLLOWED BY THE SECOND PART BILL PROVIDED FOR FAIR OPEN ELECTIONS ACCEPTABLE то THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE ALSO FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE ELECTIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A FAIR MANNER AND WILL BE SEEN TO BE A SUCCESS. ON THAT BASIS WE VERY MUCH HOPE THAT THE CHINESE WILL NOT SEE ANY NEED TO UPSET THESE ARRANGEMENTS COME JULY 1, 1997.

QUESTION (IN CHINESE): TO PASS THE SECOND PART OF THE BILL WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT. WILL THE OUTCOME OF TODAY'S VOTING GIVE YOU MORE CONFIDENCE TO PASS THE GOVERNOR'S ORIGINAL REFORM PACKAGE?

CHIEF SECRETARY ( (IN CHINESE): ABOUT THE CONTENT OF THE SECOND PART THE BILL, I HAVE JUST MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT LATER TODAY,

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