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Following is the transcript (English portion) of the press conference by the newly-appointed Secretary for Security, Mr Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, at the Central Government Offices this evening (August 4):

Secretary for Security: I am deeply honoured today to be appointed as the Secretary for Security and I will work hard with my colleagues in the Security Bureau, in the various disciplined services and with colleagues in the Legislative Council to maintain the internal security of Hong Kong and to maintain the internal stability of Hong Kong to ensure that we will maintain our prosperity.

Reporter: Will you adopt a different way of trying to sell the Article 23 proposals to the public and would the July 1st march make it a bit difficult for you to do that?

Secretary for Security: I think we will soon start another round of consultation. We will listen very carefully to the voices of the community and I can only say at this moment we don't have any scheduled timetable for the BL 23. And speaking about the demonstration on the 1st of July, I think we have already said that we have taken heed of the different opinions voiced in that demonstration.

Reporter: Will you try to promote the bill differently to Mrs Ip?

Secretary for Security: I have already said we will listen very carefully to different voices of the community.

Reporter: ... you sound to me like you're still talking like a civil servant. Today, apart from Mr Tang, everyone who was appointed as a civil servant and your answers, to be honest sound a bit like a civil servant's answers. Are you aware [INAUDIBLE], at least in theory [INAUDIBLE] be filled now by civil servants [INAUDIBLE]?

Secretary for Security: Well I was trained as a civil servant and I can't hide my colours. I was trained as a disciplined service officer. I just mentioned that as an officer we have a calling that we must serve the community, especially when the community is facing some difficulties, like what was happening with the SARS crisis. The doctors had to stand up to face the challenge.

Reporter: Don't you see a different view, at least in theory you're supposed to have a different role now? You're supposed to be effectively a principal official.

Secretary for Security: I am now a retired civil servant. I do not belong to the civil service, but as I said I was trained as a civil servant.

(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

End/Monday, August 4, 2003

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Floor/ Cantonese/ Putonghua/ English