UNCLASSIFIED
Мив
MINTS 301/1
27
132361
MDHIAN 6736
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 715
OF 060937Z MARCH 91
Is
TOP COPY
Q DIST ?
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA INFO PRIORITY HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO GENEVA INFO PRIORITY HKGO SAN FRANCISCO
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OUR TELNO 888: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE : WEEKLY ROUNDUP
PLEASE REPLACE PARAS 9 TO 11 WITH THE FOLLOWING AMENDED PARAS AND 10):
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9. THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS (27.2) REPORTED THAT ACCORDING TO A REPORT FILED BY A CORRESPONDENT AT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT THE CHINESE REQUESTED TO HAVE A GREATER SAY OVER THE SCALE AND PROGRESS OF THE AIRPORT PROJECT INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO SCRUTINISE BIDDERS FOR THE AIRPORT CONTRACTS AND TO DECIDE WHICH INTERNATIONAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES COULD TAKE PART IN THE PROJECT. IN ANOTHER REPORT, SOURCES WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF LU PING'S VISIT TO HK WAS TO ASK THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CHINESE SIDE BE PLACED IN THE FUTURE AIRPORT AUTHORITY TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE SAR GOVERNMENT. THE EXPRESS (3.3) QUOTED HK GOVERNMENT SOURCES AS SAYING THAT CHINA HAD REQUESTED THAT TWO REPRESENTATIVES FORM THE BANK OF CHINA GROUP BE INCLUDED IN THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE POWER OF VETO. IN THE SAME REPORT, IT QUOTED GOVERNMENT SOURCES AS INDICATING THAT THERE WERE GREAT DIFFERENCES IN VIEWS BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDE OVER THE PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY THE CHINESE SIDE AND THAT A CONSENSUS WAS NOT EXPECTED TO BE REACHED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
10. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP, SIR PETER BLAKER, HOPED THAT THE CHINESE WOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THREE REASONS FOR HONG KONG TO BUILD A NEW AIRPORT THE PROJECT WOULD
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NOT DRAIN AWAY HONG KONG'S FISCAL RESERVES, THE NEW AIRPORT WOULD BRING ABOUT A SIZEABLE INCOME TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, AND THE AIRPORT WOULD STRENGTHEN HONG KONG'S BASIS AS AN INTERNATIONAL TRADING CENTRE.
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