XN000022-1990-10-10 — Page 35

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1990

"SIMILARLY OUR MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURAL

PLANS, SUCH AS THE BUILDING OF THE NEW AIRPORT AND THE EXPANSION OF THE PORT, ARE PART OF THE LONG-TERM EXPANSION WHICH MUST BE STARTED NOW IF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION IS TO BE GIVEN THE BEST POSSIBLE CHANCE OF SUCCESS, SIR DAVID SAID.

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NOTING THAT THE WORKING ATMOSPHERE BETWEEN OURSELVES AND CHINA HAD IMPROVED DURING THE YEAR, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MET IN SEPTEMBER AND MADE PROGRESS ON SOME OF THE MATTERS IT WAS HANDLING.

"IT HAS A GREAT DEAL OF IMPORTANT WORK STILL TO DO IN THE YEARS AHEAD. FOLLOWING THE UNDERSTANDING REACHED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHICH WILL ALLOW THE 1995 LEGISLATURE TO CONTINUE BEYOND 1997, WE NOW NEED TO PLAN FOR THE CONTINUITY OF DAY-TO-DAY ADMINISTRATION.

"THERE ARE MANY COMPLEX LEGAL MATTERS TO BE SORTED OUT INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AFFECTING HONG KONG, THE LOCALISATION OF LAWS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR KEY ELEMENTS OF ITS ECONOMIC LIFE,' HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SAID THE CONTINUITY OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WAS ANOTHER AREA OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE STABILITY OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997.

"WE NEED TO GET IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ESTABLISHING IN HONG KONG OUR OWN COURT OF FINAL APPEAL. SO THERE IS MUCH TO DO, AND A NEED TO TACKLE IT QUICKLY, PRAGMATICALLY AND EFFICIENTLY," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID FOR CHINESE LEADERS TO HAVE A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HONG KONG WORKED, WHAT OUR KEY PRIORITIES WERE AND HOW WE WENT ABOUT TAKING DECISIONS, WOULD BE HELPFUL TO HONG KONG BOTH NOW AND AFTER 1997.

"AN INCREASE IN THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION IN THIS WAY SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS GIVING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT A VETO OVER DECISIONS WHICH ARE PROPERLY FOR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO TAKE. THEY HAVE NOT SOUGHT THIS; NOR WOULD I EXPECT THEM TO DO SO," SIR DAVID SAID.

THE GOVERNOR POINTED OUT THAT THE EXTENSIVE AUTONOMY IN MANY FIELDS WHICH HONG KONG NOW ENJOYED WAS OF LONG STANDING, AND ITS' CONTINUATION AFTER 1997 WAS GUARANTEED IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND PROVIDED FOR IN THE BASIC LAW.

"MEANWHILE, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS UNDERTAKEN IN THE JOINT DECLARATION TO GIVE ITS CO-OPERATION TO BRITAIN IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO THE TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997. IT IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS WE AIM TO IMPROVE CONSULTATION, ACHIEVE A GREATER EXCHANGER OF INFORMATION AND BUILD UP BETTER UNDERSTANDING ON BOTH SIDES," SIR DAVID POINTED OUT.

HE SAID THAT HONG KONG ALREADY HAD EXTENSIVE CONTACTS WITH THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES AT THE WORKING LEVEL ON SPECIFIC MATTERS SUCH AS CROSS-BORDER TRAFFIC, CONTROL OF SMUGGLING AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, POLLUTION CONTROL AND HEALTH.

/"THESE EXCHANGES