XN000022-1994-10-05 — Page 43

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1994

NOT RIGHT FOR CIVIL SERVANTS TO ATTEND PWC MEETINGS

BE

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) HE DID NOT BELIEVE IT WOULD RIGHT FOR HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS TO ATTEND FORMAL MEETINGS PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE OR ITS SUB-GROUPS.

HE NOTED THAT CIVIL SERVANTS DID HAVE CONTACTS NOT ONLY WITH CHINESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS BUT ALSO WITH MEMBERS OF OFFICIAL BODIES LIKE THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, WITH HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS AND WITH MEMBERS OF THE PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE.

ON CONTACTS WITH THE PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE, HE SAID THE COMMITTEE WAS DISTINCT FROM THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE. IT WAS NOT ONE OF THE INSTITUTIONS ESTABLISHED BY THE JOINT DECLARATION OR THE BASIC LAW; IT WAS AN ADVISORY BODY OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS.

"THERE IS THEREFORE NO FORMAL RELATIONSHIP ADMINISTRATION AND THE PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE.

BETWEEN THE

"BUT, AS I HAVE SAID TO THIS COUNCIL BEFORE, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE CAN BE NO CONTACT.

THERE IS NO BAN ON CONTACTS WITH PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THAT WOULD NOT BE SENSIBLE OR REALISTIC. HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ALREADY PROVIDE INFORMATION TO HONG KONG MEMBERS OF PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE.

"I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT CONTACTS WILL CONTINUE AND WILL HELPFUL TO THESE MEMBERS IN PREPARING THEMSELVES FOR THEIR MEETINGS.

THE

BE

"I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WOULD BE RIGHT FOR HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS TO ATTEND FORMAL MEETINGS OF THE PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE OR ITS SUB-GROUPS.

"THERE CAN BE NO SUBSTITUTE FOR THE WORK WHICH CAN ONLY TAKE BETWEEN THE TWO SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENTS IN

LIAISON THE JOINT

PLACE GROUP.

LINES PLACE,

I

"BUT CONTACTS WITH THE PRELIMINARY WORKING COMMITTEE ALONG

HAVE DESCRIBED ARE USEFUL AND I AM HAPPY FOR

THE

ΤΟ THEM

TAKE

HE SAID.

0

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