UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 986
OF 190453Z JUNE 93
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 301/2
REGE TO IN DISTRY
24 JUN :
KOFFICER
REGISTRY
PA
Actu
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
p.4. Press Roundas
ру
TOP COPY Q DIST?
Rowdy's
172455
MDHIAN 5580
41
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRESS REPORTS
AIRPORT
1.
THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING ON 18 JUNE WAS WIDELY REPORTED IN THE LOCAL PRESS. GUO FENGMIN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE MEETING HAD ALSO DISCUSSED THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT AND THE AIRPORT RAILWAY: BUT SINCE DIFFERENCES STILL EXISTED FURTHER MEETINGS WOULD BE REQUIRED. UKREP JLG WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT THE CHINESE HAD RESPONDED TO THE NEW FINANCING PACKAGE AND THAT PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE AT THE MEETING. HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE NEW FINANCING PACKAGE WAS MORE REASONABLE THAN THE PREVIOUS ONE, BUT STILL FELL SHORT OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE AIRPORT MOU. ACCORDING TO THE SOURCES THE CHINESE HOPED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS A.S.A.P. THEY WANTED THE AIRPORT TO BE BUILT EVEN IF THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL.
2. VARIOUS MEDIA REPORTS QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES ON THE CHINESE AGREEMENT TO THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING. SING TAO DAILY QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT CHINESE SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT DID NOT IMPLY THAT THE AIRPORT FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE EASILY RESOLVED. TVB QUOTED A CHINESE SOURCE AS SAYING THAT CONSENT WAS GIVEN BECAUSE THE TUNNEL PROJECT HAD NO DIRECT CONNECTIONS WITH THE AIRPORT RAILWAY. HK COMMERCIAL DAILY STRESSED THAT CHINESE AGREEMENT TO THE FRANCHISE WAS OUT OF CONSIDERATION FOR HK'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HAD NO CONNECTION WHATSOEVER WITH PARTICIPATION OF CHINESE ENTERPRISES IN THE PROJECT. THE PAPER SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD ADOPT THE SAME POSITIVE ATTITUDE TO OTHER FRANCHISES STRADDLING 1997 PROVIDED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE SINCERE TOWARDS THE NEGOTIATIONS.
TALKS
THE PAPERS REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE THE REMARKS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR ON 18 JUNE THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE SINCERE ABOUT THE
3.
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