THE Government has been accused of not taking legislators seriously in plans for British Foreign Minister Douglas Hurd's flying visit to Hongkong this evening.
Independent legislator Emily Lau Wai-hing has expressed dissatisfaction at having to meet Mr Hurd at a cocktail reception in Government House instead of a formal function.
''Normally, there is a formal meeting, but, this time, they have arranged a drinks party at Government House for us all to meet him,'' she said.
''It is not a good way to enable us to communicate with the Foreign Secretary. We want to talk seriously, and not hold a drink and wander around the room.'' She said it was likely that guests would be placed in fixed positions, with the Foreign Secretary being escorted from group to group to talk about his meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Qian Qichen.
Mr Hurd is scheduled to meet Mr Qian in Beijing this morning.
''There will be only a few minutes to ask him anything. We want a formal meeting when there is something this serious to talk about.'' ''We are not being taken seriously,'' Ms Lau said.
United Democrat James To Kun-sun agreed that legislators were being treated poorly.
