XN000022-1985-10-30 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985

HE POINTED OUT THAT DURING THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP'S FIRST MEETING IN JULY IN LONDON, BOTH SIDES AGREED ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG TO CONTINUE AS A MEMBER OF THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AFTER 1997. THE GROUP WILL MEET AGAIN IN PEK ING TOWARDS THE END OF NOVEMBER.

+BY ITS VERY NATURE, THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IS NOT A BODY THAT WILL MAKE A STRING OF MOMENTOUS DECISIONS AT EACH MEETING.

+BUT IT WILL, BETWEEN NOW AND THE YEAR 2000, NEED TO DISCUSS A WIDE RANGE OF MATTERS RELATING TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, HE SAID.

+THE ENCOURAGING START THAT THE GROUP HAS MADE AUGURS WELL FOR THE ABILITY OF THE TWO SIDES TO CO-OPERATE IN THIS

IMPORTANT WORK, SIR EDWARD SAID.

AS REGARDS THE LAND COMMISSION, THE GOVERNOR SAID IT HAS SET ABOUT ITS WORK QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY, AND IN A SPIRIT OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.

+ IT HAS REACHED AGREEMENT ON A RANGE OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS FOR USE IN LAND TRANSACTIONS, AND ON THE LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

+ IN SEPTEMBER AND EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE FIRST PUBLIC AUCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT LAND SINCE THE ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WERE SUCCESSFULY HELD, AND SEVEN LOTS OF LAND WERE SOLD FOR TERMS RUNNING UP TO 2047.

+ALL CONCERNED CAN BE CONFIDENT THAT LAND WILL CONTINUE TO BE MADE AVAILABLE TO MEET HONG KONG'S DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS, HE SAID.

TURNING TO THE HONG KONG REGISTER OF SHIPPING. SIR EDWARD SAID THERE HAS BEEN A CONSTRUCTIVE RESPONSE FROM THE SHIPPING INDUSTRY FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION BY THE GOVERNMENT IN MAY OF ITS INITIAL THINKING FOR A NEW REGISTER.

+OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO SEE MORE CLEARLY THE SHAPE OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE POLICY IN THIS FIELD, HE SAID.

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