CONFIDENTIAL
20
167050
MDLIAN 1784
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2495
OF 090153Z AUGUST 91
нив 152 /а
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
@
YRTELNO 1441: AIRPORT CORE PROGRAMME PROJECTS AND THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE
1. OUR AIM IS TO USE THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A CONSTRUCTIVE AND CO-OPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHINESE. TO THAT END WE DO BELIEVE THAT IF IN DOUBT WE SHOULD BE GENEROUS RATHER THAN NIGGARDLY OF INFORMATION.
2. HOWEVER IN OUR VIEW THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MOU WAS TO GIVE US THE GREEN LIGHT TO GET AHEAD WITH THE ACP PROJECTS WITHOUT FURTHER CONSULTATION. IN A CERTAIN OBVIOUS SENSE ALL THESE PROJECTS HAVE POST-1997 IMPLICATIONS BECAUSE THE AIRPORT WILL BE THERE AFTER 1997. BUT I HOPE WE DO NOT EXPECT THE CHINESE TO USE THIS ARGUMENT TO DEMAND MORE CONSULTATION. BY THE SAME STANDARD I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN AND MUST DRAW A DISTINCTION BETWEEN PROJECTS THAT WILL IN A SUBSTANTIAL WAY STILL BE GOING ON AT THE TIME OF HANDOVER AND THOSE WHICH HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. IT WOULD SURELY NOT BE SENSIBLE TO FOCUS ON THE SORT OF PERIPHERAL DETAIL TO WHICH
YOU REFER. NOR DO I THINK THE CHINESE WOULD THANK US FOR DOING SO: WERE WE TO DRAW THEIR ATTENTION TO SUCH POINTS THEY MAY FEEL THAT THEY HAVE TO DEMAND CONSULTATION. IF THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS LINE, THEY WILL TAKE IT ANYWAY. BUT I DO NOT THINK WE SHOULD PROVOKE IT. UKREP JLG CONCUR WITH THIS VIEW.
3. ITEMS SUCH AS RETENTION MONEY DO NOT FORM THE BULK OF EXPENDITURE ON ANY OF THE ACP PROJECTS, AND ITEMS SUCH AS MAINTENANCE AND WARRANTY ARE MORE FOR THE CONTRACTORS THAN THE GOVERNMENT. IT IS THEREFORE HARD TO SEE HOW ARTICLE C1 OF THE MOU IS RELEVANT.
4. IN A BROADER CONTEXT WE HAVE FOR SOME TIME NOW GIVEN UP ATTEMPTING TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SUBJECTS WHICH ARE RAISED WITH THE CHINESE PURELY FOR INFORMATION AND THOSE WHICH ARE FOR CONSULTATION. THERE IS ALWAYS THE RISK THAT THEY MAY DEMAND TO BE CONSULTED UPON ANY SUBJECT WE RAISE AND WE MUST TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION. THE KIND OF INFORMATION WHICH WE ENVISAGE OFFERING
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