September 19, 2003

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Hong Kong's number two official Donald Tsang dodged tropical storm Isabel on Friday, holding talks with Secretary of State Colin Powell as much of official Washington kept the shutters closed after the storm.

Powell praised Tsang for the territory's decision to withdraw Article 23 security legislation which triggered a political crisis in Hong Kong, said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher.

"The Secretary also reaffirmed that the U.S. strongly supports efforts in Hong Kong to move toward constitutional reform and universal suffrage," he said.

An initial security bill, drawn up under Article 23 of the former British colony's post-1997 constitution, was shelved by Tung earlier this year after more than 500,000 people marched through the streets in protest.

Tung said in early September that there was no timetable for re-introducing the bill and stressed no replacement legislation would be put forward without extensive public consultation.

In weather conditions reminiscent of the Pacific typhoons which occasionally score a bulls-eye on Hong Kong, Tsang rode out the storm in Washington on Thursday night, but his planned appearance before the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Friday was cancelled.

URL: http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/cw/Qus-hongkong-powell.RAhi_DSJ.html