XN000022-1996-09-19 — Page 4

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Question: Mr Governor, Exco Member, Vincent Cheng has already confirmed that himself and Mr Raymond Ch'ien have been already nominated to the Selection Committee. So do you know that before and please comment?

Governor: Yes, I did of course know it before because they discussed it with me, and I have talked to a number of other Exco Members about it. And just as I took a relaxed view about membership of the Preparatory Committee, so I do the same about membership of the Selection Committee. I don't think that there is any inherent conflict of interest but obviously it is up to individual members to work out from time to time whether they think there is a conflict of interest.

Mr C H Tung, for some time, was on both the Executive Council and on the Preparatory Committee and then after a time decided that he could not manage to work on both bodies and I respected that opinion.

Everybody knows that there is not any change in the Government's position on the fundamental issues. The fundamental issues for the next few months are that we are delighted to work with a Chief Executive(Designate); and the other position is that we certainly won't change our view that the present Legislative Council should be able to complete its four year term and that we won't help or co-operate in any way with a Provisional Legislature which we think would be extremely bad for Hong Kong. Now that is our position and it is not going to change.

If I can just add one other thing about Dr Ch'ien and Mr Cheng. They are both outstanding servants of the community. As well as having distinguished commercial records themselves, they work in a number of ways to help this community. You only have to look at the number of bodies and boards that they have served on or chaired over the years. They are both men of very considerable integrity. I think that I will be fortunate to go on having them as colleagues on the Executive Council and if they are not only nominated for but chosen for the Selection Committee, I am sure that they will give equally distinguished service on the Selection Committee. So I repeat, Hong Kong is very fortunate that it has people like Dr Ch'ien and Mr Cheng who give so much service to the community.

Question: What will be in your last policy speech in October?

Governor: Ha, ha, ha. Oh, I'll tell you now! I'll tell you straight away. All you've got to do --