FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1992
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WE DISCUSSED A NUMBER OF ISSUES ON THE AGENDA OF JLG, INCLUDING AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS, DEFENCE LANDS, AND RIGHT OF ABODE. WE BOTH HOPED THAT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WOULD CONTINUE THE GOOD PROGRESS MADE IN THE LATEST JLG TALKS IN LONDON.
NOW TO ISSUES ON WHICH WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN US. ON THE AIRPORT: I MADE IT CLEAR THAT MY LEGACY TO HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE JUDGED BY WHETHER I LEFT IT WITH A NEW AIRPORT. SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN 1997 WILL NOT BE JUDGED BY WHETHER I FLY OUT OF A NEW AIRPORT BUT BY WHETHER HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE IS INTACT AND SRT TO CONTINUE TO BE INTACT. WE HAVE, AS YOU KNOW, PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS ON THE AIRPORT THAT COVER A SPECTRUM OF POSSIBLE WAYS OF FUNDING IT, THE LATEST ONE BASED ON CHINESE PROPOSALS, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE ΤΟ HIT ON THE FORMULA THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WILL ENDORSE. NOTHING NEW EMERGED FROM OUR TALKS THIS WEEK. I MADE IT PLAIN THAT THERE WAS A LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF IDEAS WE COULD COME UP WITH, ALTHOUGH WE WOULD BE WILLING TO DISCUSS ANY THE CHINESE MIGHT HAVE.
AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE
BEST WAY FORWARD, OTHERWISE WE SHALL JUST HAVE TO BUILD AS MUCH AS
WE CAN. BUT LET ME REPEAT, THIS AIRPORT WILL BE BUILT, NOT BECAUSE IT SERVES BRITISH INTERESTS IN ANY WAY, BUT BECAUSE HONG KONG NEEDS IT AND HONG KONG WILL GET IT.
THE BULK OF OUR DISCUSSION HAS BEEN ON MY PROPOSALS FOR POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT IN HONG KONG. I REITERATED THAT MY PROPOSALS WERE MADE IN HONG KONG AFTER 12 WEEKS OF CONSULTATIONS RIGHT ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.
I BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF MOST PEOPLE IN HONG KONG. I BELIEVE THEY MEET THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR A MODEST A MODEST INCREASE IN DEMOCRACY, AS WELL AS MAXIMUM CONTINUITY AND A SMOOTH TRANSITION. DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTION HAVE TO BE PUT IN PLACE WELL BEFORE THEN. THEY ARE NOT TO BE FOUND IN THE BASIC LAW. THE PROPOSALS I HAVE PUT FORWARD ARE FULLY CONSISTENT WITH THE BASIC LAW.
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WE HAD SOME VIGOROUS DISCUSSIONS; MAJOR DIFFERENCES REMAIN BETWEEN US.
THE DIFFERENCES HAVE NOT WIDENED THIS WEEK AND NOR, FRANKLY, CAN I SAY THEY HAVE NARROWED. I MADE IT PLAIN THAT 1 AM ENTIRELY HAPPY TO DISCUSS MY PROPOSALS AT ANY TIME, WITH ANYONE, ANYWHERE. I WOULD WELCOME IT IF THOSE WHO'VE CRITICISED MY PROPOSALS CAME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1995 ELECTION MUST BE OPEN, FAIR AND HONEST, AND COMMAND THE CONFIDENCE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
WE AGREED THAT OUR CONSULTATIONS WOULD CONTINUE IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. CONSULTATIONS MEANS CONSULTATIONS, HOWEVER. AT THE END OF THE DAY, TIME IS NOT ON OUR SIDE, LEGISLATION HAS TO BE PUT BEFORE LEGCO IN THE NEW YEAR.
SCM POST:
WHILE CHINA HAS YET TO COME UP WITH SWEEPING PROPOSALS REGARDING THE AIRPORT PROJECT, SWIRE GROUP'S CHAIRMAN, PETER SUTCH HAS COME UP WITH AN IDEA THAT A PRIVATE SECTOR CONSORTIUM (INDISTINCT). DO YOU THINK IT'S A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE THAT HE'S SUGGESTED?
/GOVERNOR: WELL