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DEPLOYED ON BORDER DUTIES AND THIS TASK WOULD BE GRADUALLY TAKEN
OVER BY THE POLICE. HE THEREFORE FELT THAT HONG KONG'S SHARE OF
DEFENCE COSTS SHOULD BE REDUCED, IF NOT REMOVED ALTOGETHER. HE THEN ASKED IF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD WITHDRAW ITS GARRISON IF
VOTING OF FUNDS WAS NOT APPROVED BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND
WHETHER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD THREATENED THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S NEGOTIATION TEAM THAT IF THERE WAS NO AGREEMENT, THE BRITISH GARRISON WOULD BE WITHDRAWN.
18. THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION
OF THE BRITISH GARRISON WITHDRAWING EARLIER THAN WAS NECESSARY OR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT BEING THREATENED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DURING THE DEFENCE COSTS NEGOTIATIONS. HE WAS HAPPY THAT AN AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED AND HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS FOR HONG KONG. WITH THE GRADUAL WITHDRAWAL OF BRITISH GARRISON IN EARLY 1990'S, THE COST WOULD BE FURTHER REDUCED TOWARDS 1997. BUT AS AT PRESENT, THERE WAS NO FIXED TIMETABLE FOR THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE GARRISON.
19. IN REPLY TO MR HILTON CHEONG-LEEN, THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT THE AGREEMENT SHOULD LAST UNTIL 1997 IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE
NECESSARY ASSURANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
BASIC LAW
20. MR ANDREW WONG SAID THAT THE OMELCO CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL HAD SO FAR HELD 11 MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE DRAFT BASIC LAW. A NUMBER OF MEMBERS HAD MET THE MAINLAND DRAFTERS ON 8 JUNE 1988 WILE OTHERS ALSO HAD DINNER WITH THEM ON 22 JUNE 1988. A PANEL REPORT WOULD BE COMPILED AND HE ASKED WHETHER VIEWS, EXPRESSED IN THE REPORT WOULD BE CONVEYED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
21. THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT AS ADVISED BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE EARLIER, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PLEASED TO CONVEY ON BEHALF OF MEMBERS THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW. ACCORDING TO HIS UNDERSTANDING, THE CHINESE WERE READY TO LISTEN TO ALL RELEVANT VIEWS.
CLOSURE OF MEETING
22. SIR S Y CHUNG THANKED THE MINISTER OF STATE AND MEMBERS OF HIS PARTY FOR ATTENDING THE MEETING AND INVITED THEM TO DINNER IN THE DINING HALL. IN RESPONSE, THE MINISTER OF STATE SAID THAT HE FOUND THE MEETING VERY USEFUL AND THANKED MEMBERS FOR THEIR VALUABLE ADVICE AND INFORMATION.
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