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FRIDAY, JUNE 18, 1993
GOVERNOR PLEASED BY WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING DECISION
THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) THAT FOLLOWING THE DECISION ON THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, HONG KONG COULD NOW GET AHEAD WITH THE LEGISLATION SO THAT THE WORK COULD COMMENCE AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
SPEAKING TO THE PRESS AFTER ATTENDING THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE ST JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION CENTRE, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT HE WAS VERY PLEASED BY THE DECISION ON THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING WHICH FORMED AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE ACP PROGRAMME.
"IT'S IN HONG KONG'S LONG-TERM INTEREST AND IN THE INTEREST OF OUR MUTUAL ECONOMY," HE SAID.
"I AM ALSO PLEASED THAT GOOD PROGRESS WAS, I THINK, MADE TODAY IN DISCUSSING THE FINANCING OF THE AIRPORT AND THE AIRPORT RAILWAY."
NOTING THAT THERE WAS STILL MORE WORK TO DO, HE SAID BOTH SIDES AROUND THE TABLE TODAY DID A GOOD DAY'S WORK FOR HONG KONG.
ON THE APPROVAL OF THE FUNDING FOR THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, THE GOVERNOR SAID THAT IT WAS AN IMPORTANT AND USEFUL DECISION.
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'I AM SURE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WILL WANT TO SEE US MAKE FURTHER PROGRESS ON ALL THESE MATTERS SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THIS GREAT COMMUNITY THE INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH IT NEEDS AND DESERVES, HE ADDED.
ASKED ABOUT HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT TO LONDON, MR PATTEN SAID: "I AM GOING BACK TO REVIEW THE POSITION WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, CABINET COMMITTEE, OTHER MINISTERS AND, OF COURSE, SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WHO HAS BEEN LEADING OUR TEAM IN THE NEGOTIATIONS IN PEKING.
"WE WILL WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT FURTHER PROGRESS WHICH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY CALLED FOR IN HIS REMARKS A FEW DAYS AGO. BUT IT'S THE SORT OF MEETING WHICH I THINK YOU WOULD EXPECT US TO BE HAVING AT THIS SORT OF TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN GIVE THE DISCUSSIONS AND GIVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY A STEER IF IT NEEDS IT.
"WE WANT A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME TO THE TALKS AND WE WANT THAT SWIFTLY AS IT CAN BE MANAGED BUT WE RECOGNISE THAT THERE SOME BIG ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE RESOLVED.
THE
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TALKS,
PRESS REPORTS THAT A DEADLINE HAD BEEN SET FOR THE GOVERNOR SAID: "WHAT I'VE SAID AND WHAT IS EVIDENT TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS THAT, WHILE ON THE ONE HAND WE WANT TO GIVE THESE TALKS EVERY CHANCE OF SUCCESS, WE DO HAVE TO PUT ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS AND WE DO HAVE TO GET THROUGH THE PROCESS LEGISLATION AND WE CAN'T HANG ABOUT.
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"WE DON'T HAVE AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF TIME BUT I HOPE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH TIME TO GET A GOOD SETTLEMENT.
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