SECRET
HKC BS 182 12.
VED IN REC ·གའ
3 OMAY 1991
SK OFFICER
ACH
TOP COPY Q DIST?
35
064010 MDHIAN 8345
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 25100OZ F C O
TELNO 1661
OF 250815Z MAY 91
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP JLG HONG KONG
RESIDENT CLERK PLEASE PASS IMMEDIATELY TO PAUL, HKD
AIRPORT TALKS: PRESS BRIEFINGS
SUMMARY
EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND BRIEFING BY CHEN ZUO ER. WE PROPOSE TO BALANCE BY BACKGROUND BRIEFING OF OUR OWN ON 26 MAY.
DETAIL
THE PRESS ON 25 MAY HAS EVIDENCE OF DETAILED BRIEFING BY THE CHINESE SIDE. WE UNDERSTAND FROM MEDIA CONTACTS THAT THIS WAS DONE PERSONALLY BY CHEN ZUO ER WITH TWO SEPARATE GROUPS OF
JOURNALISTS.
2. ALL REPORTS COVER BROADLY THE SAME GROUND. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD PROPOSED A DRAFT AGREEMENT IN THE LATEST ROUND. IF THE BRITISH SIDE ACCEPTED IT, CHINA WOULD MAKE KNOWN ITS STANCE ON THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT. THE DRAFT AGREEMENT COVERED FIVE MAIN
POINTS:
ALL IMPORT MATTERS, INCLUDING THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT, STRADDLING 1997 SHOULD BE RESOLVED WITH CHINA THROUGH
DISCUSSIONS:
A MECHANISM SIMILAR TO THE LAND COMMISSION TO BE SET UP TO HANDLE THE MATTERS STRADDLING 1997, INCLUDING THE NEW AIRPORT:
THE BRITISH SIDE MUST SET ASIDE A SUM OF DOLLARS 25 BILLION FOR THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS:
A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE FORMED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD
BE SET UP
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