1990-11-02 05:51 COMMS OFFICE (GOVT HOUSE)
852 845 0995 P.07
6
NI
But
we have yet to hear any proposal which is a serious and well researched alternative to Chek Lap Kok.
6.
Chek that
but
We acknowledge
Lap Kok may not be the
best site aeronautically taking South China as a whole,
nevertheless, the best site in terms of resolving Our problem is not one
it is,
the
complex problem we are facing.
simply of air traffic growth and difficult terrain.
over-simplification
of
we
think should
This
the problem has led some to suggest
of terms in solely
siting an airport
Chinese side of the border where terrain
somewhere on the
constraints are less
Delta as a
the airport
whole.
problematic to serve the Pearl River This suggestion misses the point that is needed primarily to serve Hong Kong and the Region which will come into
future Special Administrative
being in 1997.
The Joint Declaration and the Basic Law
require us
to "take
measures
for the maintenance of the
status
of
regional
Hong
aviation".
Kong
as
a
centre
of international and
We
have shall
our own Air Service
Agreements
and
be
to able
negotiate our own air traffic
rights with
third countries within the limits laid down in
the Joint Declaration. If we fail to have an international airport within the geographical limits of Hong Kong which is capable of meeting demand, we would in effect be giving
up
this autonomy
in
civil
aviation
has which
been