Following is the transcript (English portion) of the press conference by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, and the new team of Principal Officials under the Accountability System at the Conference Hall at CGO New Annexe this morning (June 23):

Reporter:  A question for Mr Suen and Mr Lam. Mr Suen, a lot of sensitivities right now in the education sector because of what happened with Prof Li and Fanny Law. How would you promote government policy with major institutions without seeming to intrude on their independence. The question for Mr Lam is a lot of concern in the human rights constituency over having human rights put under a bureau which is also connected with mainland affairs.

Secretary for Education (designate): I think all of us on the platform here and other colleagues in the team have got rich experience in dealing with the Legislative Council, in dealing with various participants in various issues. It is our job to try to get consensus about different issues and during the process we have got to persuade others to take on our views. It is not surprising to see there are different views. It is important in a society like Hong Kong to be able to express all these different views, then it is for the administration, in case we need a law, for the lawmakers to make sure that we are able to ensure that the differences of views are all worked into a workable formula which suit our own particular circumstance. So in terms of education I don't see any differently, any differences of view. I am sure that with patience and with persuasion we are able to reach a consensus.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (designate): On question of human rights, I think you may not be aware that back in 1990 when we were drafting and putting forth proposals relating to the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance, the former Constitutional Affairs Branch was actually the department in the Government responsible for this portfolio. So the origins of the Hong Kong Bill of Rights actually came from the predecessor of Hong Kong’s current Constitutional Affairs Bureau. It is actually quite consistent for this particular bureau to deal both with Mainland affairs and electoral and human rights affairs because all these portfolios are related to the implementation of the Basic Law. I would also like to emphasise that aside from the total commitment of the HKSAR Government to the preservation of human rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, the Court of Final Appeal and the Judiciary in Hong Kong are firmly committed to implementation of rights and freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law. And you do see cases in which the Judiciary rules against current legislation, and the HKSAR Government will have to pursue amendments; for example, in the recent amendments proposed to the Public Order Ordinance. We, as the future Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau will continue to comply with the 100% commitment to the protection of human rights according to the Basic Law.

Reporter: (inaudible)… people in the human rights community don't feel assuaged, not only because its mainland affairs but in part because of you. They don't feel comfortable that you are going to stand up for human rights. Can you give a personal assurance that you will.

Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs (designate): My previous involvement prior to 1997 with the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group allowed me to play a role in seeking the establishment of the Court of Final Appeal on July 1, 1997. We actually attained consensus in the JLG in 1995 for that to be established. To my mind, that is a most important institution for protecting the full implementation of the Basic Law and the protection of human rights in Hong Kong. I was very pleased that we were able to secure that consensus prior to 1997, and I fully support the work which has been done since 1997 both by the HKSAR Government and Hong Kong's Judiciary to protect human rights.

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

Ends/Saturday, June 23, 2007
Issued at HKT 18:21

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