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137704
MDLIAN 9896
15. THE ACTING GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD (6.8) HOPED CIVIL SERVANTS WOULD NOT OVER-REACT TO THE SCHEME WHICH HE BELIEVED WOULD NOT HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE LOCALISATION POLICY. SIR DAVID SAID THE NEW MEASURE WAS NOT IN BREACH OF THE JD AND BL.
16. THE SECRETARY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, ANSON CHAN, WAS QUOTED AS REITERATING THE POLICY WAS JUST A SHORT-TERM MEASURE AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WANT TO DISCUSS WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AND CIVIL SERVICE GROUPS ON LONG-TERM ARRANGEMENTS. SHE NOTED SOME COMMENTS SUGGESTED PERHAPS THE GOVERNMENT, INSTEAD OF TAKING THE INITIATIVE TO CHANGE THIS POLICY, SHOULD LEAVE IT TO THE COURT TO DECIDE. SHE HOWEVER POINTED OUT THE POLICY CHANGES ANNOUNCED CONCERNED A VERY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF STAFF MANAGEMENT AND IT WOULD BE TOTALLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO LEAVE IT TO THE COURT TO DECIDE.
17. REMARKS BY HKMAO OFFICIAL, CHEN ZIYING IN MEETING A HK DELEGATION WERE WIDELY COVERED (6.8). CHEN SAID THE CHINESE SIDE REGARDED THE EXISTING CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM AS AN EFFECTIVE ONE AND DID NOT WANT TO SEE ANY MAJOR CHANGES TO IT. THE CHINESE STAND AND POLICY RELATING TO THIS HAD BEEN LAID DOWN IN THE BL. SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT WANT TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT TO POLICIES RELATING TO THE CIVIL SERVICE, CONSULTATIONS SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES AS THE ISSUE WAS ONE THAT WOULD STRADDLE 1997. NOTING THE DISSATISFACTION AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS WITH THE NEW POLICY, CHEN SAID HE HOPED THE HK-BRITISH AUTHORITIES WOULD ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO THESE VIEWS AND WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO HK'S SOCIAL STABILITY.
AIRPORT
18. THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING WAS ACCORDED PROMINENT COVERAGE (5.8). REPORTS QUOTED THE BRITISH REPRESENTATIVE TONY GALSWORTHY AS SAYING AFTER THE MEETING THAT DIFFERENCES HAD BEEN NARROWED AND BOTH SIDES WOULD CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS VIA INFORMAL CHANNELS. THE DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE SET VIA THIS CHANNEL. THE CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE GUO FENGMIN SAID THE MEETING PROCEEDED IN THE NORMAL WAY AND THAT FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WERE NECESSARY.
19. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, (5.8) THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID THE TWO SIDES STILL HAD DIFFERENCES OVER THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL INJECTION AND THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVED IT WOULD TAKE A FEW MORE ROUNDS OF MEETINGS BEFORE AN AGREEMENT COULD BE REACHED ON THE
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