THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1994
DEFENCE LANDS AGREEMENT HAS POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS
THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, TODAY (THURSDAY) SAID SHE WAS PLEASED THAT A COMPREHENSIVE AND DETAILED AGREEMENT HAD BEEN REACHED IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP ON THE FUTURE USE OF THE DEFENCE ESTATE IN HONG KONG AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF DISCUSSIONS.
SHE SAID: "FROM JULY 1, 1997, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG. THE TRANSFER OF DEFENCE RESPONSIBILITIES FROM BRITAIN TO CHINA
IS AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY. ONE KEY ELEMENT IN THAT TRANSFER IS THE FUTURE OF THE DEFENCE ESTATE.
11
OUTLINING THE AGREEMENT AT A PRESS CONFERENCE, MRS CHAN STRESSED THAT THE DEAL WAS A GOOD ONE FOR HONG KONG.
IT INCLUDES COMMITMENTS THAT DEFENCE LAND WILL BE USED EXCLUSIVELY FOR DEFENCE PURPOSES AFTER 1997, AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS MADE IT CLEAR IN A STATEMENT THAT IF THE SITES ARE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR DEFENCE, THEY WILL BE RETURNED TO THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT (HKSARG) WITHOUT COMPENSATION.
H
"THESE ARE WELCOME REASSURANCES FOR THE COMMUNITY, SHE SAID.
SHE ADDED THAT MANY OF THE SITES TO BE RELEASED TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD EXCELLENT POTENTIAL FOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENT.
"WE ESTIMATE THAT, TAKEN TOGETHER, THEY WOULD PROVIDE LAND FOR ABOUT 15,000 FLATS AS WELL AS MUCH NEEDED OPEN SPACE AND COMMUNITY FACILITIES. THE REVENUE GENERATED IS PROJECTED TO BE ABOUT $65 BILLION AT APRIL 1994 PRICES, SHE SAID.
A
MRS CHAN SAID THE AGREEMENT WAS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY IN ITS OWN RIGHT BUT ALSO HAD POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE WORK OF THE JLG AS WHOLE.
"PROGRESS IN THE JLG IN THE PAST HAS NOT BEEN AS RAPID AS WE WOULD HAVE LIKED. I HOPE THAT THIS AGREEMENT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF RENEWED CO-OPERATION AND THAT WE WILL NOW BE ABLE TO BUILD ON THIS AND TO CLEAR THE CURRENT BACKLOG BEFORE 1997," SHE SAID.
MRS CHAN EMPHASISED THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS A PACKAGE DEAL AND ANY ATTEMPT TO UNPICK THE PACKAGE WOULD RUN THE RISK OF THE ENTIRE MILITARY ESTATE HAVING TO BE HANDED TO THE CHINESE GARRISON.
THE
"TO ENSURE THAT THE SITES NO LONGER NEEDED FOR DEFENCE PURPOSES BE RELEASED FOR COMMUNITY USE, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE AGREEMENT ARE FULLY MET, SHE SAID.
WILL
H
FOR
THE
GOVERNMENTS
GOING INTO THE DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT, THE SECRETARY SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, SAID THE JLG HAD PROPOSED THAT AGREEMENT SHOULD BE CONFIRMED BY THE BRITISH AND CHINESE IN AN EXCHANGE OF NOTES.
/"THE JLG