XN000022-1994-06-30 — Page 9

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THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1994

TRANSCRIPT OF CS' MEDIA REPLIES

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FOLLOWING IS THE TRANSCRIPT OF THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SPEAKING TO REPORTERS OUTSIDE LEGCO BUILDING AFTER THE DEBATE ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ELECTORAL PROVISIONS) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1994 THIS (THURSDAY) MORNING:

REPORTER: WHAT'S YOUR REACTION ON THE VOTING?

MRS CHAN: CAN I SAY THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREME LONG DAY. SO, IF I'M NOT MY RIGHT SELF. YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHY. WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THE OUTCOME. THE ELECTORAL PROVISIONS BILL HAS NOW BEEN PASSED. THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF WORK IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THE PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE IN HAND TO ENSURE THAT THE 1995 ELECTIONS WILL BE SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT. SO, WE'LL BE GETTING ON WITH THIS WORK VERY VERY QUICKLY. I THINK IT'S CLEAR FROM THE DEBATE, THE 20-ODD HOURS OF DEBATE, THAT THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS WHO HOLD DIFFERENT VIEWS ABOUT THE PACE OF THE ELECTORAL REFORMS. BUT NOW THAT THE BILL HAS BEEN PASSED, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ALL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT THE 1995 ELECTIONS WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. WE HAVE NOW EXACTLY THREE YEARS TO GO BEFORE THE REVERSION OF SOVEREIGNTY TO CHINA. THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE. WE WILL SEEK ACTIVE COOPERATION WITH THE CHINESE AND WE HOPE TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THE CHINESE 700.

REPORTER: DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNMENT'S CREDIBILITY HAS SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE VOTE, YOU KNOW, AGAINST HOWARD YOUNG'S PROPOSAL ]'t ] MODIFY FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES? I THINK THE GOVERNMENT WON BY ONLY ONE VOTE.

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MRS CHAN: WELL, THE BILL ITSELF, THE THIRD READING OF THE BILL COURSE PASSED BY 32 VOTES TO 24 VOTES. AND OF COURSE IN DEBATE OF THIS SORT, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE DO RELY ON MAJORITY VOTE.

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GOVT SUMMER AGENDA VITAL TO HK DEVELOPMENT

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THE GOVERNMENT'S SUMMER AGENDA WHICH REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT NEW CHAPTER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG WAS SPELT OUT BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, TODAY (THURSDAY).

SHE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE WORKING VIGOROUSLY TO BRING FORWARD DETAILED PROPOSALS IN THE THREE AREAS

OF REMOVING DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, PROTECTION FOR DISABLED AND PUBLIC ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT INFORMATION.

MRS CHAN WAS ADDRESSING A GATHERING OF BUSINESSMEN AT THE FEDERATION OF HONG KONG INDUSTRIES' LUNCHEON MEETING.

ON THE PROGRAMME TO END DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO HAVE THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN EXTENDED HONG KONG,

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/MRS CHAN