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The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, today (September 15) launched an intense round of lobbying in Sydney to promote Hong Kong's Bid for the 2006 Asian Games.

She called on the President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah followed by meetings with delegates from a number of key countries taking part in the bidding process.

In her capacity as Chairman of the Asian Games Bid Committee, she was accompanied at the meeting with Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah by Bid Committee Vice-chairman, Mr Timothy Fok; Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr W. K. Lam and the Hon. Secretary-General of the Sports Federation and Olympics Committee of Hong Kong, China, Mr Pang Chung.

Mrs Chan afterwards described the meeting as "good and useful". She added: " The Sheikh noted that he had been to Hong Kong several times before. He finds it a very exciting city."

The Sheikh had also noted that Hong Kong had received a good report from the Evaluation Committee which had visited the SAR earlier this year.

"He assured me that the voting on who will win the bid for the 2006 Asian Games will be done on a fair basis, and he encouraged us to keep up with our lobbying efforts - which of course we will do," Mrs Chan said.

Mrs Chan added that her visit to Sydney for the 2000 Olympics provided a good opportunity for Hong Kong to promote its 2006 Asian Games bid. The Bid Team has established a hospitality suite at one of the three official Olympic hotels where senior International Olympic Committee officials are being housed.

Mrs Chan visited the suite this morning to encourage members of the Bid Team who are manning the suite. While she was there, she met senior delegates from Nepal, Pakistan and Uzbekistan and talked to them about the facilities Hong Kong had to offer which were illustrated in a photo display and video presentation.

In promoting Hong Kong's bid, Mrs Chan emphasized the strength of Hong Kong's facilities. She noted that the SAR was a very safe place and was politically stable. She told the delegates that the community was right behind the bid and that the government would provide all the support and facilitation required by the sports community to stage the best ever Asian Games.

Most importantly, she said, was Hong Kong's reputation to deliver what it promised.

After the visit to the suite, Mrs Chan left for a high-level lunch hosted by Australia's Trade Minister, Mr Mark Vaile.

Later this evening, she will attend the official opening of the Olympics Games at the Olympic Stadium.

"I am very much looking forward to that proud moment when the Hong Kong, China team marches past under the banner of our own HKSAR flag. This is a historic first for us. Our participation as Hong Kong, China underlines the reality of 'One Country, Two Systems', " she said.

Photo: The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, putting her autograph onto a "Hong Kong For Sure" poster when she visited the hospitality suite set up by the Asian Games Bid Team at one of the official hotels housing Olympic officials and delegates in Sydney.

End/Friday, September 15, 2000

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