XN000022-1986-09-25 — Page 2

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1936

PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN PROJECTS VALUABLE TO HK GOVERNOR

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PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN IMPORTANT PROJECTS SUCH AS THE SECOND CROSS HARBOUR TUNNEL AND THE THIRD UNIVERSITY SHOWS THAT HONG KONG IS STILL DEVELOPING EXTREMELY QUICKLY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER THE GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY OF THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, SIR EDWARD SAID HE HOPED TO SEE MORE PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT IN SIMILAR PROJECTS IN FUTURE.

HE DESCRIBED THE EASTERN HARBOUR CROSSING AS A PROJECT OF VERY GREAT VALUE TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, ADDING THAT THE THIRD UNIVERSITY WAS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT LONG-TERM ARRANGEMENT FOR HONG KONG.

COMMENTING ON A REMARK BY THE VISITING BRITISH MINISTER OF STATE AT THE HOME OFF ICE, MR DAVID WADDINGTON, THAT REPATRIATION WAS THE SOLUTION TO THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, THE GOVERNOR SAID: +1 THINK HE WAS TALKING GENERALLY AND IN THE LONG TERM.

+ IN THE MEANWHILE, OF COURSE, WE ARE INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING THE RATE OF SETTLEMENT OF THE EXISTING REFUGEE POPULATION AND THAT, AT THE MOMENT, IS SOMETHING ON WHICH WE ARE CONCENTRATING.

+BUT HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THE LONG TERM AND IN GENERAL TERMS RATHER THAN SPECIFICALLY.+

HT

POINTING OUT THAT IT WOULD NOT BE FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO DIRECTLY OPEN UP THE CHANNEL OF DISCUSSION ITA THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT, HE STRESSED THAT HONG KONG'S MAIN CONCERN WAS THAT THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES SHOULD CONTINUE TO DECLINE.

IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, SIR EDWARD SAID THERE MUST BE CONTINUING RESETTLEMENT RATHER THAN WORKING TO THE LONG-TERM SOLUTION AS FAR AS OUR PRESENT PROBLEM WAS CONCERNED.

ASKED ABOUT SIR GEOFFREY HOWE'S COMING VISIT, THE GOVERNOR SAID SIR GEOFFREY WOULD BE IN HONG KONG ON HIS WAY TO CHINA TO ACCOMPANY THE QUEEN.

+WHENEVER HE IS IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD HE LIKES TO COME IN AND SEE HOW THINGS ARE GETTING ON HIMSELF.

+ IT'S QUITE A QUICK VISIT. IT WILL GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO HIM DIRECTLY HERE BUT IT'S SIMPLY THAT HE'S ON HIS WAY TO CHINA RATHER THAN ANY SPECIFIC PURPOSE.

ASKED ABOUT NUCLEAR ELECTRICITY, SIR EDWARD SAID THE ELECTRICITY OFFTAKE WAS BY THE COMPANIES HERE, NOT BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.

AB SAIN