XN000022-1996-03-27 — Page 5

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Question: The DAB says the Health Department may be hesitant in issuing a ban... for political reasons...

Governor: I don't think that anybody could seriously suggest that politics would intervene in public health issues. They may as far as those politicians are concerned but they certainly don't as far as the Government is concerned.

Question: The Chinese side has suggested that some senior Government officials should leave the Government in order to assist the Chief Executive in setting up the provisional Government framework. What do you think about this idea?

Governor: Well, I said early that I didn't have anything to say in response to the questions about what may or may not have been said by senior Chinese officials. We have had no communication whatsoever to that effect from senior, middle ranking, junior or subterranean Chinese officials. And if Chinese officials have any proposals to put which might be damaging to the Government of Hong Kong now and in the future then I hope they'll put them, and we'll deal with them in the public and hear that and see that. There is just one point I would make which is I think perfectly obvious to Hong Kong and perfectly obvious to most other people in the world. Government isn't something you can turn on or turn off like an electric kettle. Government goes on. And if you do things to Government before 1997 which damage it or attempt to damage its authority, that has consequences after 1997. I repeat that we have a politically neutral civil service which will serve this Government with great loyalty and which will serve the SAR Government with great loyalty and anyone who doesn't understand that doesn't understand how Hong Kong works, doesn't understand how the civil service works, doesn't understand the nature of a free society under the rule of law. Thank you very much indeed.

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JLG expert talks on the handover ceremony

The following is issued on behalf of the Office of the British Senior Representative of the Joint Liaison Group:

The third meeting between experts of the Joint Liaison Group on the Hong Kong Handover Ceremony will take place in Hong Kong tomorrow (March 28).

The British side will be led by British Senior Representative, Mr Hugh Davies. The Chinese side will be led by Chinese Senior Representative, Mr Zhao Jihua. They will be assisted by experts from the two sides.

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