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CS's question-and-answer session in LegCo

Following is a transcript of the Chief Secretary's question-and-answer session on her recent visit to North America in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Dr Leong Che-hung: Thank you Mr President. There is no doubt that the Chief Secretary has gone through a very tiring and yet successful trip on behalf of Hong Kong and I am sure all members of this Council would join me to thank her for doing this for us.

In her address, especially in the last paragraph, the Chief Secretary mentioned that she dealt frankly on issues concerning the threat of a Provisional Legislature, protection of human rights and press freedom. I wonder whether the CS could expand

on this?

CS: Mr President, it is perhaps not surprising to this Council that the main concern raised with me during my tour of the United States was the threat of a Provisional Legislature to replace the current Legislature. I took the opportunity to reiterate the Government's very clear stance on this and I will repeat this now.

The Government's position on the Provisional Legislature is that we remain opposed to the establishment of a Provisional Legislature. We consider a provisional legislature to be both unnecessary and unjustified. The current Legislature was elected in open and fair elections in September of last year. We had a record turnout of voters at that election. The current Legislature clearly enjoys the support of the entire community and in terms of continuity and confidence within the community, it is clearly desirable for the current Legislature to transit 1997 and for members to be able to serve our their full four year term.

But perhaps not surprising either, the question was put to me that many people have now asserted that it is inevitable that the Provisional Legislature would be established and what was the Government's stance on this. I took the opportunity again to restate that if the Chinese insist on proceeding - and I said at the same time that we were hoping very much to continue to persuade the Chinese not to proceed with a Provisional Legislature - but if they were determined to do so, then I think it is for the Chinese side to explain to the community in Hong Kong and to the international community exactly how the Provisional Legislature would conform with the Basic Law and the Joint Declaration and, more importantly, how it would implement the principle of Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong.