U.S. and Hong Kong (2003)

State Department Noon Briefing, July 7, 2003

Following is the State Department transcript:

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U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
Monday, July 7, 2003
1:20 p.m. EDT

BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

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QUESTION: When the Chinese and Korean President met, Chinese President Hu said North Korea's stopping of developing of nuclear weapons and programs should be paired by a security guarantee from some certain countries. Do you have any comment on that? Is the States ready or prepared to offer any security guarantee in any way?

MR. BOUCHER: I think, first of all, for an interpretation of exactly what they said, you'll have to go to them. And second of all, on the question of security, we have made clear that we don't have any intention of attacking North Korea or invading North Korea. I think we've made that very clear already. So there's not much more to say on that, and as far as how it evolves in the course of discussions, let's have the discussions, let's have the multilateral discussions that the United States has been seeking. Let's get a verifiable and irreversible end to their nuclear programs.

QUESTION: On the Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister's visit, can you confirm a press report that he delivered a message from North Korea that they are willing to do four-way talks that leaves Japan out?

MR. BOUCHER: I was asked that question last Friday and -- Thursday. Sorry, I wasn't here on Friday. I was asked that question on Thursday, and as I said back then, we're not aware of any proposal for four-way talks on Korea. As far as what we discussed with Vice Minister Wang Yi, I think I will leave it to the explanation we gave last Friday, though. Okay? Thursday, once again.

QUESTION: Following up on the question about your summit meeting between South Korea and China, the President Roh pushed the five-party meeting, maybe based on the agreement between the U.S. and the Japan, and also South Korea, but the Chinese side, President Hu was very cautious about the five-party, and so the Chinese side is still sticking to the three-party meeting. Can you say anything about the discussions at --

MR. BOUCHER: No. I don't know exactly what you're basing that on. The Chinese have certainly played a strong role and an important role in Helping these multilateral talks proceed, and I think they fully Understand why we think it's important to have Japan and South Korea there.

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QUESTION: On Hong Kong. After the over 50 million Hong Kong people protest on July 1st and after a sudden resign of the chairperson of the Liberty Party, which -- who is also the logical member, the Hong Kong Government, actually the Executive Chief Tung Chee Hwa announced that they would delay the second wait of the proposed national security law under Article 23. Any comment on that?

MR. BOUCHER: I think it was half a million, the people who demonstrated. But we welcome the Hong Kong Government's July 7th decision to respond to the calls of the people of Hong Kong and to delay action and amend Article 23 legislation. This is a positive development.

We urge the Government of Hong Kong to conduct an open and transparent process of consultation on this issue.

Chief Executive C.H. Tung's announcement indicates the Hong Kong Government will take steps to address the deep concerns of the people of Hong Kong and of the international community. These include deleting the provision proscribing organizations with mainland counterparts that are banned on national security grounds and adding a public interest defense provision.

The controversy surrounding the legislation underscores the great importance of Hong Kong's move towards democracy. We urge the government to begin discussion of this essential component of Hong Kong success in accordance with the basic laws mandate. Hong Kong should make tangible progress towards the basic laws goal of universal suffrage, a democratically elected government answerable to the will of the people, and that's the best way to ensure the protection of fundamental freedoms in Hong Kong.

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(The briefing was concluded at 2:05 p.m.)

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