*********************************************
The Closed Area (Hong Kong Ministerial Conference of World Trade Organization) Order was published in the Gazette today (October 7). The Order was made by the Chief Executive under section 36 of the Public Order Ordinance (POO) (Cap. 245) after consulting the Executive Council.
The aim of the order is to help the smooth running of the Sixth Ministerial Conference (MC6) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), known as the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference, by setting up a closed area near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
The conference will be held in the HKCEC from December 13 to 18, 2005. According to the latest police intelligence, a large number of local and overseas protesters pushing various causes will stage demonstrations in Hong Kong during the MC6. While most of these protesters are expected to be peaceful and law-abiding, some may use disruptive or violent methods, with a view to causing chaos and traffic paralysis, as has been seen at previous WTO Ministerial Conferences and other major international events.
"To safeguard public safety and public order in the conference venue and its surroundings, the Administration considers it necessary to set up a closed area under section 36 of the POO. Under this section, the Chief Executive may, where he reasonably believes that it is necessary for the protection of among other things, public safety and public order, by order declare any area or place to be a closed area," a government spokesman said. "Entry into the area will be allowed only with permission from the Commissioner of Police.
"The coverage and duration of the restriction have been kept to an essential minimum. In terms of geographical coverage, the closed area will be about one square kilometre. The closure will be on a 24-hour a day basis from 6pm on December 12 until 5am on December 19," the spokesman said.
Under the POO, the Commissioner of Police may give permission to enter or leave the closed area. In this regard, the Commissioner will in due course, by notice published in the Gazette under section 38A, grant general permission to holders of accreditation badges to be issued by the MC6 Co-ordination Office (MCO) to MC6 participants (including delegates, local and overseas press members as well as representatives of non-governmental organisations), support staff, staff and tenants of the HKCEC, to enter or leave the closed area during the closure period. All MC6 participants are accredited by the WTO, and MCO is responsible for issuing their badges. For other people who need to enter the closed area for justifiable purposes, their applications will be separately handled by the Police through the permit issuing mechanism.
To enhance public understanding, the Administration has been actively briefing the sectors concerned, the community and the District Councils on the conference arrangements, including the setting up of the closed area. Departments concerned will disseminate detailed information to the public on the actual arrangements of the closed area and related traffic and transport arrangements well in advance of the event. The Administration has also been in discussion with non-governmental organisations which may want to organise protest activities during the MC6 period on demonstration arrangements with a view to striking the right balance between upholding the right of peaceful assembly, expression and demonstration and protecting the safety and security of the public.
"We would like to invite the community to work together to make the conference a success, which will be of long-lasting international benefit to Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
The Order will be tabled at the Legislative Council for negative vetting next Wednesday (October 12). It will come into effect on December 2. A map setting out the exact area of the closed area is at Annex.
Ends/Friday, October 7, 2005
Issued at HKT 12:24
NNNN
