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HKB 182 1'4
ENVED IN REGISTHY
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FM HONG KONG
SK OFFICER
22 MAY 1991
EGIST
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
WDEX
AUTRA
TELNO 1590
OF 21110OZ MAY 91
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
24
04622"
MDHIAN 75′ j
TOP COPY Q DIST?
AIRPORT TALKS: COMMENTS TO THE PRESS
1. ON LEAVING EXCO TODAY I WAS ASKED THE INEVITABLE QUESTIONS BY THE MEDIA ABOUT PROGRESS IN THE TALKS. I MADE A BRIEF COMMENT TO THE EFFECT THAT BOTH SIDES HAD BEEN MAKING AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF EFFORT AND THAT A GREAT DEAL OF HARD WORK HAD GONE INTO THE DISCUSSIONS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. I COULD NOT GO INTO DETAIL ON THE CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS. BUT I COULD SAY THAT, FOR OUR PART, OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO REACH AGREEMENT. WE WOULD LIKE TO REACH AGREEMENT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE TO ENABLE US TO CARRY OUT THE PROJECT - AN AGREEMENT WHICH GAVE US A PRACTICAL BASIS FOR CARRYING OUT THE PROJECT IN A SENSIBLE MANNER. I COULD NOT HOWEVER, AT THIS STAGE PREDICT THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS WHICH WERE STILL GOING ON.
2. IN ANSWER TO QUESTIONS I SAID THAT WE WERE WILLING TO LOOK AT CHINESE CONCERNS TO SEE IF THERE WERE WAYS TO MEET THEM. WE TOO HAD CONCERNS AND LOOKED TO THE CHINESE TO REACH THE SORT OF AGREEMENT WHICH MATCHED THESE.
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