XN000022-1994-05-11 — Page 7

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1994

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MR XI'S CASE, HE SAID, HAD RESULTED IN GREAT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THESE MATTERS AMONGST JOURNALISTS.

"THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT FULLY APPRECIATES THE DEPTH OF THIS ANXIETY AND HAS FORCEFULLY CONVEYED IT TO THE UK GOVERNMENT.

AND

"AS A RESULT, CLARIFICATION OF THE LAW ON STATE SECRETS THE PROMULGATION OF CLEAR RULES AND GUIDELINES ON NEWS GATHERING HAS BEEN A KEY REQUEST MADE BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN ITS EXCHANGES WITH CHINA ON XI'S CASE.'

ON PRESS FREEDOM IN HONG KONG, MR SUEN SAID THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO PRESERVING FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND THE ELECTRONIC MEDIA.

THIS COMMITMENT, HE SAID, IS WELL DEMONSTRATED BY THE CURRENT REVIEW OF LEGISLATION TO IDENTIFY PROVISIONS THAT COULD HAVE AN ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE MEDIA.

REVIEWED,

MR SUEN POINTED OUT THAT TO DATE. 27 ORDINANCES HAVE BEEN INCLUDING 17 CITED BY THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS' ASSOCIATION

AS CONTAINING PROVISIONS THAT GIVE RISE TO SUCH A CONCERN.

AMENDMENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE TO NINE PROVISIONS IN THREE OF THESE ORDINANCES TO REMEDY THE POTENTIAL ADVERSE IMPACT ON THE MEDIA.

WORK IS IN HAND TO AMEND A FURTHER 19 PROVISIONS IN SEVEN ORDINANCES AND FURTHER CONSIDERATION IS BEING GIVEN TO SEVEN OTHER ORDINANCES, HE ADDED.

REGARDING THE REMAINING PROVISIONS THAT MAY CAUSE POSSIBLE CONCERN, MR SUEN SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS SATISFIED THAT THERE WAS NO INCOMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THEM AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

It

INDEED, A PROMINENT FEATURE AMONG THEM IS THE PROTECTION OF PRIVACY. WHICH IS A PROTECTED RIGHT UNDER THE BILL OF RIGHTS, HE SAID.

MR SUEN REITERATED THAT FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE HONG KONG SYSTEM NOW AND WILL REMAIN SO IN THE FUTURE.

LAW AFTER

HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC BOTH EXPLICITLY PROVIDED FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF FREEDOM OF PRESS

1997.

IN CONCLUSION, HE ASSURED MEMBERS THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE BRITISH ON XI YANG'S CASE AND THE ISSUES IT RAISES.

GOVERNMENT

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