CY Leung denies Hong Kong and Philippines have put bus tragedy behind them
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Friday refuted a Philippine government statement that Hong Kong and the Philippines had put the bus tragedy row behind them, saying his words at a meeting he had with Philippine President Benigno Aquino had been “taken out of context”.
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Friday refuted a Philippine government statement that Hong Kong and the Philippines had put the bus tragedy row behind them, saying his words at a meeting he had with Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Monday in Bali had been “taken out of context”.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Leung said he had suggested to Aquino at the meeting that issues surrounding the hostage tragedy – in which eight Hong Kong people were killed – could be put behind them only if both sides held talks and took steps to resolve them.
It was not like my meeting with him was to talk about how to put the issue behind us. This is absolutely not the case
"It was not like my meeting with him was to talk about how to put the issue behind us. This is absolutely not the case,” he said.
Leung said that at the meeting Aquino had agreed to his proposal that both sides would send a senior official to discuss unresolved matters related to the hostage tragedy.
Before the press conference on Friday Leung met with a survivor of the tragedy, Yik Siu-ling, whose lower jaw was shattered by a bullet, and representatives of the families of victims of the tragedy who had demanded clarification on the statements made by the Philippines about Leung's meeting with Aquino.
At the meeting Leung denied that he and Aquino had agreed to put the issues of the tragedy behind them. After the meeting, those who met with Leung said they were satisfied with his explanation.