Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Executive, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session before the Executive Council meeting this morning (November 14):

Reporter: Mrs Lam, How can Hong Kong claim to be inclusive and international when you and your Government refuse to welcome or congratulate the city's successful bid to host the 2022 Gay Games?
 
Chief Executive: Well, Hong Kong is an inclusive city. We have the Equal Opportunities Commission and all the necessary institutions in place. But I think we have to also listen to the opinion and views and sentiments of the rest of the community. So I can assure you that we will continue to be a very inclusive society.
 
Reporter: Mrs Lam, there will be co-location debate tomorrow. Are you concerned that the Pan-Democrats or some of the law makers may have some weird tricks up their sleeves again and would you say tomorrow is the absolute deadline that the Government will let the lawmakers discuss it? And if it's not passed then you guys will start the "Three-Step Process" right away?
 
Chief Executive: Well, I have said on many occasions that the legislative process leading to the implementation of the co-location arrangements have a time table because we need to commission the high-speed rail by the third quarter of next year. But at this moment I am pretty confident and this is not just my own feeling but a lot of people who have followed the proceedings in the Legislative Council are very confident that since the debate on the Government motion has been completed and then we should proceed to the officials making their response and then voting. So I am pretty confident that the Government motion should be voted on and hopefully passed in the coming Legislative Council meeting. So with that, we will have the good basis to commence the "Three-step Process" in leading to the commissioning of the high-speed rail by the third quarter of next year.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

Ends/Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Issued at HKT 12:26

NNNN