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015741
MDLIAN 1904
UNDERSTOOD THE BRITISH WOULD ASK FOR CHINESE AGREEMENTS ON THE PROJECTS IN ADVANCE OF RESOLUTION OF THE QUESTION OF FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS. THE PAPER QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ALSO CONSIDERED APPROVING CENTRAL/WANCHAI RECLAMATION BEFORE AN AGREEMENT ON ARRANGEMENTS, AND HAD CONSULTED SOME INDIVIDUALS IN HK. THE SOURCES SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT REACHED ANY DECISIONS.
33. MING PAO QUOTED (29.6) A CHINESE OFFICIAL AS SAYING IF THE BRITISH SIDE WAS WILLING TO MAKE SOME POSITIVE MOVES IN THE AC MEETING SUCH AS INCREASING THE CAPITAL INJECTION INTO THE ACP PROJECTS, THE CHINESE WOULD ALSO RESPOND POSITIVELY BY ENDORSING THE CONTRACT FOR THE CENTRAL/WANCHAI RECLAMATION. THE PAPER NOTED TWO PRO-CHINA ACC MEMBERS, HO KING-ON AND TAM YIU-CHUNG, BOTH EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT GIVE APPROVAL TO THE RECLAMATION PROJECT BEFORE AN OVERALL AGREEMENT ON AIRPORT FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS WAS REACHED.
34.
QUOTING SHENZHEN VICE-MAYOR LI GUANGZHEN, THE UNITED DAILY NEWS SAID (29.6) THE HUANGTIAN AIRPORT WOULD BE RENAMED SHENZHEN BO AN AIRPORT AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE PUT UNDER THE SAR AFTER 1997.
JLG
35. THE CLOSING OF THE JLG MEETING WAS GIVEN EXTENSIVE COVERAGE (25.6). THE PAPERS REPORTED THE TWO SIDES ACCUSED EACH OTHER FOR THE LACK OF PROGRESS. THE BRITISH TEAM LEADER ANTHONY GALSWORTHY WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THE CHINESE WERE PROBABLY THINKING THAT BY GOING SLOW ON JLG WORK IT COULD PUT PRESSURE ON THE BRITISH SIDE IN THE WIDER CONTEXT. MOST PAPERS BELIEVED THE WIDER CONTEXT REFERRED TO THE TALKS ON ELECTIONS. THE PAPERS ALSO QUOTED MR GALSWORTHY AS SAYING IF THE JLG CONTINUED WITH THE SLOW PACE, IT WOULD TAKE 100 YEARS TO FINISH DISCUSSION ON ALL RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS. ACCORDING TO THE PRESS THE CHINESE TEAM LEADER GUO FENGMIN SAID AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE LACK OF PROGRESS WAS DUE TO THE BRITISH SIDE'S FAILURE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE INFORMATION. HE SAID SINO-BRITISH CO-OPERATION IN HK MATTERS DEPENDED ON THE 'THREE CONFORMITIES'. IF SUCH BASIS WAS UNDERMINED, THE WORK OF THE JLG AND IN OTHER AREAS WOULD BE AFFECTED.
36. MANY PAPERS (25.6) QUOTED THE GOVERNOR AS SAYING THAT IF THE CHINESE SIDE HAD WANTED MORE INFORMATION ON MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE JLG, THEY SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR IT BEFORE MEETINGS AND NOT
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