04-APR-1993
12:14
Gallagher
0491 579838
P.16
MR CHRIS PATTEN
Ma
INT DAVID FROST
APAR
LONDON 4 APRIL 1993
17 -
INTERVIEWER:
But China cannot stop you completing it?
1
MR PATTEN:
China can postpone the date by which it is completed, yes, unless we were to behave irresponsibly with Hong Kong's finances and I do
not want to do that. But with Chinese cooperation we can get that
airport built in time.
Nobody doubts that the airport will be
built, nobody seriously argues but that it is good for Hong Kong,
nobody except the deranged supposed that I will take it away with
me when I go.
INTERVIEWER:
But China can stop us completing it by 1997?
MR PATTEN:
Yes.
INTERVIEWER:
And China could invade Hong Kong in a matter of hours, is there any circumstances in which that might happen?
MR PATTEN:
No.
INTERVIEWER:
Why not?
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