XN000022-1985-03-20 — Page 9

JAY, MARCH 3, 194

£3,

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WORKING GROUPS PROGRESS REVIEWED

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DELEGATIONS REPRESENTING THE HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN GOVERNMENTS, LED RESPECTIVELY BY THE POLITICAL ADVISER,

M JOHN BOYD, AND THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF SHENZHEN, MR ZHEN XIPEI, MET THIS AFTERNOON.

THE MEETING WAS THE LATEST IN A SERIES WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE OVER THE THREE YEARS SINCE THE SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN IN 1982, ON THE OPENING OF NEW LINKS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

THE MEETINGS TAKE PLACE AT APPROXIMATELY SIX-MONTHLY INTERVALS, ALTERNATIVELY IN HONG KONG AND SHENZHEN.

THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETINGS IS TO REVIEW THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE JOINT EXPERT WORKING GROUPS ESTABLISHED UNDER THE 1782 AGREEMENT. THESE WORKING GROUPS COVER: LAND TRAFFIC LINKS; FERRY SERVICES BETWEEN SHA TIN AND MEISHA CONTROLS AT ENTRY/EXIT POINTS AND REGULATION OF THE SHENZHEN RIVER.

AT THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, BOTH SIDES EXPRESSED THEIR SATISFACTION WITH THE PROGRESS MADE BY THE WORKING GROUPS SINCE LAST REVIEW.

THEY WELCOMED THE OPENING OF THE NEW BORDER CROSSING AT SHA TAU KOK, AND THE SECOND BRIDGE AT MAN KAM TO. THE TWO SIDES REVIEWED THE PROGRESS OF REDEVELOPMENT AT LOWU AND AT MAN KAM TO, AND LOOKED FORWARD TO THE EARLY COMMENCEMENT OF WORK ON A NEW BORDER CROSSING AT LOK MA CHAU.

THE DELEGATIONS FURTHER WELCOMED THE PROGRESS MADE IN FORMULATING PLANS TO CONTROL FLOODING OF THE SHENZHEN RIVER, AND TO CONTROL POLLUTION OF THE RIVER.

THE DELEGATIONS NOTED THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SHA TIN- MEISHA FERRY SERVICE LAST AUGUST. THE TWO SIDES AGREED THAT THE IR WORK WAS A CONTINUING PROCESS AND THEY IDENTIFIED FURTHER AREAS OF WORK IN THE VARIOUS FIELDS DESIGNED TO FACILITATE CROSS-BORDER MOVEMENTS IN A PRACTICAL WAY.

BOTH SIDES WELCOMED THE FRIENDLY AND COOPERATIVE LATIN; EXISTING BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS WORKING GROUPS, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT FEVIEW MEETING TO BE HELD IN SHENZHEN IN DUE COURSE.