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FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 14123OZ F C O
TELNO 132
OF 141105Z JANUARY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
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HKB 182 12 TOP COPY
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Q DIST?
Pa
а
35
112532
MDHIAN 8266
PADS EXPERT TALKS:
COMMENTS TO THE PRESS
1. I WAS WAYLAID BY THE PRESS DURING AN OUTSIDE VISIT THIS AFTERNOON. IN REPLY TO A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WOULD SLOW DOWN THE AIRPORT PROJECT PENDING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, I SAID THAT THE DISCUSSION IN PEKING HAD BEEN DISAPPOINTING BOTH IN RESULT AND IN THE WAY THEY HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT. BUT WHAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HONG KONG WAS GETTING ON WITH BUILDING LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS THAT WE NEEDED, LIKE THE AIRPORT. I HOPED THAT IN THE PROCESS OF DOING THIS, WE COULD ALSO CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE CHINESE, THROUGH A VARIETY OF CHANNELS, TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT WE WERE DOING AND IRON OUT ANY CONCERNS AND WORRIES THEY MIGHT HAVE.
2.
I WAS ALSO ASKED WHETHER I SAW THE REMARKS BY CHINESE OFFICIALS AS A REQUEST TO CO-ADMINISTER HONG KONG. I SAID THAT HONG KONG NEEDED TO HAVE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, STRONG ADMINISTRATION TO MAINTAIN ITS PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THIS MEANT THAT THERE SHOULD BE CLEAR-CUT AUTHORITY. THERE WAS NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT, ACCORDING TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTERING HONG KONG UP TO 1997 RESTED WITH BRITAIN AND THE PRESENT HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WOULD CARRY OUT THAT RESPONSIBILITY FULLY FOR THE SAKE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THE LONG-TERM PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
WILSON
YYYY
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