UNCLASSIFIED
017500
MDLIAN76
LEE WARNED HONG KONG PEOPLE THAT THEY SHOULD NOT HOPE THAT THE
CHINESE LEADERSHIP WOULD DEMOCRATISE CHINA. HE FELT THAT HONG KONG'S FUTURE POLITICAL LEADERS SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE ECONOMIC RATHER THAN THE POLITICAL FRONT AND THAT THEY SHOULD TRY TO BE A MODULATOR IN SINO-HONG KONG RELATIONS.
5. DIRECTOR OF THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, JI PENGFEI, SAID HE HOPED THAT ALL HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD TAKE AN ACTIVE PART IN THE ELECTIONS AND THAT VARIOUS TRADES WOULD
NOMINATE THEIR REPRESENTATIVES TO RUN AND POINTED OUT THAT IMPROVED RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE TO HONG KONG.
6. AT A TWO-DAY LEGCO DEBATE ON THE GOVERNOR'S OPENING ADDRESS, LEGCO MEMBERS GENERALLY AGREED THAT CHINA AND HONG KONG SHOULD INCREASE COMMUNICATIONS TO STRENGTHEN HONG KONG PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THEIR FUTURE.
COURT OF FINAL APPEAL
7. SOURCES CLOSE TO THE JLG SAID THAT EXPERTS STUDYING THE
SETTING UP OF THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL FOR THE FUTURE SAR WOULD
MEET AGAIN NEXT MONTH TO RESOLVE SOME TECHNICAL QUESTIONS LEFT FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS, THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES (24.10) REPORTED. IT WAS NOTED THAT BOTH SIDES FELT THAT THE QUESTIONS WERE NOT SERIOUS AND THAT IT WAS AGREED THAT AMPLE TIME HAD TO BE
ALLOWED FOR PREPARING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE COURT BEFORE 1997.
AIRPORT
8. A BRITISH DIPLOMATIC SOURCE SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS NOTIFIED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ABOUT ITS DECISION TO BUILD THE TSING-MA BRIDGE ONLY 48 HOURS BEFORE THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE DECISION, THE EXPRESS (24.10) REPORTED. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS SURPRISED AND SHOCKED BY THE FACT THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD NOT DISCUSSED SUCH A MOVE WITH THE BRITISH, ADDING THAT THE BRITISH HAD ALL ALONG BEEN PREPARED TO HOLD
DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE ON THE CHEK LAP KOK AIRPORT PROJECT. THE FCO SPOKESMAN IN HONG KONG, CHRISTOPHER OSBORNE, CONFIRMED TO THE PAPER THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS INFORMED ONLY A SHORT PERIOD BEFORE THE DECISION WAS ANNOUNCED. HE SAID THAT THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS NOT EXPECTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PANS AND
DID NOT HAVE SUCH A DESIRE.
9. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CHINESE TEAM OF EXPERTS, LUO JIAHUAN, SAID THAT THE AIRPORT PROJECT WAS VERY COMPLICATED AND THAT THE TEAM
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