XN000022-1985-09-28 — Page 2

SATURDAY, SEPT

1985

DECISION ON GARRISON EXPLAINED

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, THIS (SATURDAY) MO REITERATED THAT THE +VERY STABLE+ SITUATION HERE HAD EN HONG KONG TO TAKE WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE DECISI REDUCE THE GARRISON,

+ IT IS EXACTLY AS WHAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE PRESS RELEASE YESTERDAY THAT THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG, EVERYBODY AGREES IS NOW VERY STABLE; THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION SITUATION IS VE MUCH BETTER.

+AND THESE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE ENABLED US TO TAKE WITH HE BRITISH GOVERNMENT THE DECISION ON THE REDUCTION OF THE HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER OPENING AN ARBITRATION SEMINAR.

CON,+

ASKED ABOUT PLANS TO INTRODUCE AN INTERNAL SECURITY CE FOLLOWING THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE GURKHA BATTALION, SIR EDU SAID ALL SUCH MATTERS WOULD REQUIRE VERY CAREFUL CONSIDER

+NO DECISION HAS YET BEEN TAKEN ON THESE MATTERS. THIS TILL REMAINS THE POSITION,+ HE SAID.

IN REPLY TO ANOTHER QUESTION ON ANY FURTHER REDUCTION GARRISON AFTER 1987, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT TOO REQUIRED CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND NO DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN AT THIS TIME.

HK WELL PLACED FOR ARBITRATION CENTRE SIR EDW

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WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATI CENTRE, HONG KONG WAS WELL PLACED TO BECOME, IF IT WAS NOT ALREADY, A CENTRE FOR THE HEARING OF ARBITRATIONS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

THIS WAS SIGNIFICANT, HE SAID, BECAUSE HONG KONG HAD BECOME A LEADING REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND COMMERCIAL CENTRE IN THE PAST TWO DECADES.

AND, HONG KONG'S ECONOMY WAS INTERNATIONALLY ORIENTED AND ITS ECONOMIC WELL-BEING DEPENDED ON ITS OVERSEAS LINKS, HE SAID.

SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING TO DELEGATES AT A SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF ARBITRATORS AND THE INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION.

/POINTING OUT