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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1994
GOVERNOR: I'VE SAID THAT THE
ARRANGEMENTS WHICH THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL VOTED FOR AT THE END OF JUNE ARE ENTIRELY IN LINE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW.. IF ANYONE WISHES TO DISRUPT THOSE ARRANGEMENTS, THEY WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THE COMMUNITY HERE IN HONG KONG WHY THAT IS NECESSARY AND WHY IT HELPS STABILITY AND THE SMOOTH TRANSITION.
QUESTION: AND DO YOU THINK THAT THE PROVISIONAL VIOLATING THE JOINT DECLARATION?
LEGISLATURE IS
GOVERNOR: I'VE SAID THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS WE'VE PUT IN PLACE ARE IN LINE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW AND IT IS FOR OTHERS TO EXPLAIN THEIR OWN IDEAS. A SUB-GROUP OF AN ADVISORY BODY OF THE NPC HAS PUT FORWARD SOME PROPOSALS,
QUESTION: GOVERNOR, AN OFFICIAL FROM THE HONG KONG AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE SAID TODAY THAT ON THE AIRPORT ISSUE, BOTH THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES HAD A PRINCIPAL AGREEMENT, AND MAYBE THE PROBLEM WILL BF RESOLVED VERY SOON. CAN YOU TELL US WHAT'S THE PROGRESS AND ARE YOU ALSO OPTIMISTIC?
GOVERNOR: I AM ALWAYS OPTIMISTIC THAT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY HAS WAITED PATIENTLY OVER THE LAST YEARS, AND I THINK PEOPLE WILL BELIEVE THERE'S AN AGREEMENT WHEN THEY SEE PEOPLE'S NAME ON THE PAPER. THERE ISN'T VERY MUCH DIVIDING THE TWO TEAMS OF NEGOTIATORS, BUT THERE HASN'T BEEN VERY MUCH FOR A VERY LONG TIME. OBVIOUSLY, THE SOONER WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT, AND THE SOONER WE HAVE AGREEMENT ON THE PARTICULAR FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND THE MTRC FOR THE RAILWAY, THE SOONER WE HAVE ALL THOSE THINGS IN PLACE THE BETTER. IN THE MEANTIME, AS SOME OF YOU WILL HAVE SEEN WHEN YOU CAME OUT TO THE AIRPORT WITH ME AND WITH DOUGLAS HURD, WE ARE MAKING VERY GOOD PROGRESS ON THE AIRPORT. IT AMAZES VISITORS THE RAPID PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THE BRIDGE, ON THE AIRPORT AND SO ON. BUT NEVERTHELESS, THE SOONER WE CAN HAVE A BETTER, OVERALL AGREEMENT, WHICH HAS BEEN SO ALLUSIVE FOR SO LONG, THE SOONER WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK RVEN FASTER. AT PRESENT, WE'RE WORKING AT A PACE WHICH MOST OF THE REST OF THE WORLD IS SURPRISED BY. WE'LL BE ABLE ΤΟ DO EVEN BETTER AND WORK AT THE WINNING PACE WHICH HONG KONG REGULARLY SHOWS ONCE WE'VE GOT AN AGREEMENT,
QUESTION: IS THE ADMINISTRATION'S REFUSAL TO THE CHINESE PROPOSAL RE-OPEN TENDER FOR CT9 IS SIGNING A DEATH WARRANT FOR CT9 ?
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GOVERNOR: NO. THE POSITION HAS BEEN MADE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, BY THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES AND BY THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS. AND I DON'T THINK I'VE GOT ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT. WE NEED TO DEVELOP OUR CAPACITY IN THE PORT IN ORDER TO KEEP UP WITH GROWTH, AND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE PORT SERVING THE WHOLE OF SOUTHERN CHINA WHICH THE ECONOMIC REVOLUTION IN THE REGION DEMANDS. SO THE SOONER WE CAN GET ON WITH THINGS IN A WAY WHICH DOESN'T UNDERMINE INVESTORS' CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG THE BETTER. ONE MORE.
QUESTION: WHEN WILL THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEET AGAIN AND DO YOU EXPECT ANY BREAKTHROUGH ?
GOVERNOR : Ι DON'T WANT TO ADD TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT IT'LL BE ABLE TO MEET SOON AND REACH AGREEMENT. LAST ONE.
/QUESTION: