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Transcript of remarks by CE at media session before ExCo meeting (with video)
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     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (September 12):
 
Reporter: Mrs Lam, but some say the Government's high-profile condemnation, including your own statement, was a means to narrow the freedom of expression on university campuses and you might be part of the cause of the social divide that you just talked about. How do you respond to that? And also, does the Government have any position on how and when the by-election of the LegCo seats should be carried out?
 
Chief Executive: Well, on the first question, I have said I'm not going to comment on these issues again. I respect institutional autonomy and freedom of speech. This is not a question about freedom of speech. This is a question of whether we are respecting “one country, two systems”, and whether we are concerned about the development of Hong Kong, and also whether we are a compassionate society, showing respect especially for people who are caught in a very difficult position.
 
     On the second question about conducting by-elections, briefly, I have to stress that when and how to conduct by-elections of several Legislative Council seats is a matter for the statutory Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC). But I just want to say that since the judicial proceedings of four of those cases, that is four vacant seats, have come to an end, then one would expect - and I'm sure the EAC will take a similar view - that the by-elections should be conducted as quickly as possible. The Government will provide all the necessary support to the EAC and also the REO (Registration and Electoral Office) in conducting these by-elections in terms of resources, manpower and so on.
      
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
 
 
Ends/Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Issued at HKT 11:58
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