XN000022-1987-06-16 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1987

HONG KONG'S FUTURE AIRPORT NEEDS

ON HIS DEPARTURE FROM KAT TAR THIS EVENING, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, SPOKE OF THE GOVERNMENT'S INITIATIVES IN RELATION TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT IN HONG KONG.

MIR JACOBS POINTED OUT THAT, IN 1980 AND AS .1 FOLLOW-UP FROM EARLIER STUDIES, THE GOVERNMENT HAD COMMISSIONED CONSULTANTS TO PRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF CHEK 1.AP KOK AS AIRPORT SITE.

4 REPLACEMENT

THE CONSULTANTS' REPORT HAD SHOWN THAT THE (ONSTRUCTION OF AN AIRPORT AT CHEK LAP KOL WAS ENTIRELY FEASIBLE.

"WORLD-WIDE ECONOMIC FACTORS AND THE FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS THE GOVERNMENT AT THE TIME RESULTED IN THE GOVERNMENT DECIDING, FEBRUARY 1983, TO SHELVE, AND 1 UNDERLINE SHELVE', THE (HER LAP PLAN, MR JACOBS SAID.

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"IT WAS ALSO MADE (LEAR WHEN THAT DECISION WAS ANNOUNCED IN PRINCIPLE IT WAS DESIRABLE TO CONSTRUCT A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF BUILDING ONE WOULD BE CONSIDERED 1N CONTEXT OF THE TERRITORY'S LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY AT SAME TIME THE GOVERNMENT DECIDED TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE FACILITIES ΚΑΙ TAK TO MEET MORE IMMEDIATE DEMAND.

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"ONE SIGNIFICANT AND VISIBLE SIGN, BUT NOT THE ONLY ONE, OF THAT PARTICULAR DECISION, WILL

THE FIFTY PERCENT INCREASE IN FACILITIES AT THE PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING IN THE SECOND HALF OF 1988," HE ADDED.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY THEN SPOKE OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S DECISION IN AUGUST 1986, IN THE LIGHT OF AN ACCELERATED INCREASE IN TRAFFIC DEMAND AT KAI TAK AND ITS RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ROLE OF AIR TRANSPORT TO THE TERRITORY ́S ECONOMY, TO CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

AFTER INTERNAL CONSIDERATION BY ALL INTERESTED DEPARTMENTS, A PAPER DEALING WITH HONG KONG'S POSSIBLE FUTURE AIRPORT OPTIONS WAS SUBMITTED TO THE EXECUTIVE GUN IL FOR ADV IGF ĐN MARCH 10 THIS YEAR.

"THE DECISION WAS TAKEN THEN THAT CONSULTANTS SHOULIE BE COMMISSIONED TO STUDY THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL AND ULTIMATE CAPACITY OF KAI TAK. IT WAS ALSO DECIDED THAT THE CHEK LAP KOK OPTION SHOULD BE RE-EXAMINED TOGETHER WITH OTHER POSSIBLE SITES, HE SAID.

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KP HAVE ALWAYS RECOGNISED THE EVENTUAL NEED FOR A REPLACEMENT AIRPORT," MR JACOBS CONTINUED. "THE REAL QUESTION 11AS BEEN ONE OF TIMING AND LOCATION, BECAUSE HONG KONG WANTS THE BEST FACILITY IN THE RIGHT LOCATION AT THE PROPER TIME, TO ENSURE ITS COMMERCIAL SUCCESS. IN GENERAL TERMS IT ALSO MAKES GOOD INVESTMENT SENSH FOR EVERYONE CONCERNED NOT TO HAVE h REPLACEMENT AIRPORT BEFORF NEEDED.

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"THE STUDY