XN000022-1995-10-13 — Page 26

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Transcript of CS's media session

The following is the transcript of the Chief Secretary, Mrs Anson Chan's media session after giving a luncheon speech to the Harward Business School Association of Hong Kong today (Friday):

Question: Will the visit of the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office ... sparks off the first round of .... between the officials on both sides.

Chief Secretary: The details of the get-together, the informal get-togethers between Hong Kong officials and Chinese officials still have to be discussed with the Chinese side. We are following up on this. We do not, I think as yet, have confirmation that Mr Chen Ziying is coming but of course if he is coming I will be delighted to meet with him and to have the opportunity to reciprocate his hospitality which he extended to me when I saw him in July.

Question: (inaudible)

Chief Secretary: We haven't yet decided. Clearly we want to get the get-together going as soon as possible. As soon as we've sorted out the details, we would then draw up a programme of which policy secretaries. It might for example be quite a good idea to start off with a policy secretary not having too many heads of departments under him because we want to keep the group reasonably small so that everybody can speak reasonably freely and in a relaxed atmosphere.

Question: Have you officials that's been invited to attend the ceremony?

Chief Secretary: Yes, senior officials at the appropriate level will be invited to attend. You are referring to the MAFF foundation stone laying ceremony?

Question: (on remarks by the US Ambassador to China designate on China's right to dissolve LegCo)

Chief Secretary: I have not seen a full record of his statement but I did notice listening to the radio this morning that he said that he hoped very much China would reconsider its position and that he would do his very best to influence Chinese thinking to accept the legislature and to maintain its credibility.

End/Friday, October 13, 1995