CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
AKE 18219
*CORIVED IN KEGISTRY
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 232
OF 08093OZ JULY 91
22 JUL 1991
C
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING
" Airport:
ESTABLISHMENT OF AIRPORT COMMITTEE
TOP COPY Q DIST?
052001
MDHIAN 4699
open New
фел ale in our secten On Isla Alpor
committel
ON
1.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVING THOUGHT WITH HKG TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE. CLEARLY THIS SHOULD NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL THE MOU HAS COME INTO FORCE, BUT IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO START DISCUSSING ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE CHINESE SOON.
2. IN ORDER TO AVOID INTRODUCING AN EXTRA TIER OF BUREAUCRACY, WE THINK THAT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE SHOULD NORMALLY BE CHAIRED BY THE TWO SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES, RATHER THAN THEIR SUBORDINATES. ON HKG SIDE, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FINANCE BRANCH, ECONOMIC SERVICES BRANCH WHICH OVERSEES POLICY, AND THE CORE PROGRAMME COORDINATING UNIT, WHICH REPORTS DIRECT TO THE CHIEF SECRETARY. HKG WOULD ALSO LIKE TO INCLUDE THE PA. WE WOULD WISH TO INCLUDE THE COUNSELLOR UKREP. THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD PROPOSE TO THE CHINESE THAT THE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE COMPOSED OF SIX MEMBERS ON EACH SIDE.
3. IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR DISCUSSION AT SENIOR LEVEL WE THINK THAT IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO PROPOSE THAT THE SECRETARY FOR THE TREASURY, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW AIRPORTS COORDINATING OFFICE (RAPHAEL HUI) SHOULD BE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE BRITISH SIDE. WE WOULD HOWEVER EXPLICITLY PROVIDE THAT MEMBERS COULD BE REPRESENTED BY MEMBERS OF THEIR STAFF.
4. WE SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD RESIST HAVING ANY FURTHER TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE COMMITTEE, BUT THAT IT SHOULD BE GOVERNED BY THE JLG TERMS OF REFERENCE, AND THE SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE IN THE MOU. IF WE TRY TO NEGOTIATE SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE COMMITTEE, THE CHINESE WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY TRY TO ENLARGE ON WHAT IS SET OUT IN THE MOU.
WE
5. WE SHOULD LIKE TO AVOID FORMALITY SO FAR AS POSSIBLE. WOULD THUS NOT PROVIDE FOR REGULAR PLENARY SESSIONS. WE WOULD SEEK TO AGREE THAT THE BUSINESS OF THE COMMITTEE COULD BE
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL
"1