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Following is the transcript (English portion) of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, on Dr Margaret Chan being nominated as the next Director-General of WHO in Brussels, Belgium today (November 8):
Chief Executive: I know that my feeling must be shared by the seven million people of Hong Kong. They are really excited and happy. They are feeling very proud that Margaret Chan, our Hong Kong girl, has become the sole nomination from the Executive Committee of WHO to be the Director General of WHO. I know that this has yet to be finally endorsed by the General Assembly of WHO, but Mrs Chan, being the single nominee, she stands an excellent chance of becoming the Director General before too long. For Hong Kong, this nomination comes not only as enormous happiness for us, it certainly makes us feel very proud that we are able to contribute to a global organisation as WHO through the work of our Hong Kong person. And I am sure that it is a matter which the Chinese nation as a whole will be very happy about, because we believe that she is the first Chinese now heading one of the UN institutions. The Central Government has done an enormous amount of work in supporting Mrs Chan and in helping her to conduct her campaign. We in Hong Kong have done our little part as well. When it comes to fruition, it's a very good ending. And I believe it is also good for the world as a whole that Mrs Chan, having such vast experience in public health administration - conducted a reform of our administration in Hong Kong - and having gone through a major epidemic, SARS, in Hong Kong and come up quite well, she will bring forth to the new WHO her vast experience and bring this experience to bear in her work in the future. I am sure it is good for the world as a whole. I am very, very happy.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Issued at HKT 21:25
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