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Secretary for Home Affairs, Dr Patrick Ho, said the Hong Kong SAR Government maintains direct dialogue with the Irish authorities in the hope that they will reverse their earlier decision of requesting the Hong Kong Special Olympics not to attend next month's Special Olympics World Summer Games in Dublin.

Dr Ho said: "We are making our greatest efforts. A representative from our Economic and Trade Office in Brussels is still in Ireland holding talks with Irish officials on this matter."

"It is the strongest desire of the Hong Kong athletes to participate in the Summer Games.

"The Hong Kong Special Olympics has proposed to take extra precautionary measures before departure," he said.

End/Thursday, May 29, 2003

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