XN000022-1995-07-12 — Page 13

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Governor's response to the no confidence motion

In response to media enquiries on the no confidence motion in LegCo tonight, a spokesman for the Governor, the Rt Hon Christopher Patten, said:

"We are naturally pleased at the outcome of the debate. But for us, the big vote continues to be the one on the Court of Final Appeal Bill later this month which is so vital to Hong Kong and to the confidence of the world's investors in our future.

issue."

"We will continue to work flat out to get the best possible result on this major

End/Wednesday, July 12, 1995

Rule of law: core policy of Government

The Chief Secretary, the Hon Anson Chan, urged Members of the Legislative Council today (Wednesday) to consider seriously the damaging consequences for Hong Kong if the legislature declared that it had no faith in the Administration's commitment to the rule of law. She made clear that she saw no case for Members to support the motion.

In her robust response to the motion on "Vote of No Confidence in the Governor of Hong Kong" debated at LegCo today, Mrs Chan said she had the strongest objections to the motion, both personally and on behalf of the Administration, and that the proposed amendment was also unacceptable.

"This motion is an attack on all the efforts that this Council, the civil service and the community have made over the last three years to create a secure future for our people through safeguarding the rule of law," she said. She pointed out that the motion is counter-productive in sending the wrong message to both the local and international

community.

"It undermines the partnership between this Council, the civil service and the community as a whole, which has achieved so much over the last three years.

"It casts aside all the efforts that Hong Kong has made, especially over the last three years, to secure our future on the firm foundations of the rule of law.