XN000022-1996-10-09 — Page 4

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Question: Governor, will extra protection now be given to the Japanese Consulate following today's ...?

Governor: I will want to have a full report from the police about what happened and I think that every diplomatic office, all diplomatic premises in Hong Kong, should get any security that they need and require. I don't think that in a free society, in a safe city like Hong Kong, we should be having to worry about these matters. But if we have to, for a few days or weeks, then I want to make sure that the police give this consulate the protection that it deserves.

Question: Are you suggesting by your comments regarding the Xinhua letter that it could be something that they had cooked up themselves to try to incite more sentiment against Japan?

Governor: No. But I am naturally concerned about the contents of the letter and I am naturally concerned that it was not reported straightaway to the police.

Question: Governor, Mrs Anson Chan said that the police will adopt some necessary measures against the threat letters. So can you explain which measures, necessary measures, against the threat letters ...?

Governor: I don't think I can add to what I have said, which is that if the NCNA will now make available to the police this threatening letter, it will make it easier for the police to deal with it and to follow it up. If anybody is making these threats then they should be dealt with. But unless we have a copy of the letter and know exactly what happened, it is difficult for the police to take as active a role as they would like.

Question: Governor, why not act immediately and put a police presence in front of the Japanese Consulate right away? Wouldn't that be a sign that Government is going to offer protection? Right now it seems that they are concerned about safety and they don't know what they can do about it?

Governor: Well, I want to find out exactly what security has been offered to the Japanese Consulate General and what exactly happened this afternoon. But I want to underline the point: first of all a diplomatic office in Hong Kong shouldn't require special protection because in a society as sophisticated and free as Hong Kong we should all now know how to behave responsibly. But if some people are going to behave irresponsibly, then regardless of the strength of people's feelings on the issue of the Diaoyu Islands, regardless of that, we have to make sure that the Japanese Consulate General is properly protected and that people are not able to break into it and to break the law.