XN000022-1991-05-14 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MAY 14, 1991

AUSTRALIAN PM SHOWS REAL INTEREST IN HK AFFAIRS: GOVERNOR

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THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER, MR BOD HAWKE, HAS SHOWN A REAL INTEREST IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS, ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER MEETING THE PRIME MINISTER IN CANBERRA THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING, SIR DAVID SAID HE FELT MR HAWKE HAD SHOWN A GREAT WILLINGNESS TO BE 48 SUPPORTIVE AS AUSTRALIA COULD POSSIBLY BE TOWARDS HONG KONG.

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"THERE WERE NO RESERVATIONS ABOUT THAT AT ALL, HE SAID.

THE GOVERNOR SPENT ABOUT 20 MINUTES WITH THE PRIME MINISTER DISCUSSING A RANGE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING THE, VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS, THE PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG AND AUSTRALIA'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE TERRITORY.

VERY SUPPORTIVE IN

SIR DAVID SAID AUSTRALIA HAD ALWAYS BREN RELATION TO THE QUESTION OF THE VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS.

"THIS HAS BEEN ROTH EN LOOKING AFTER AND SETTLING REFUGEES, AND EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, LOOKING FOR PRACTICAL AND SENSIBLE WAYS OF RETURNING NON REFUGEES TO THEIR HOMES, HE SAID.

ASKED ABOUT THE POSTPONEMENT OF HIS OFFICIAL VISIT ΤΟ ZEALAND FOR THE RESUMPTION OF THE AIRPORT TALKS, THE GOVERNOR SAID WANTED TO BE BACK IN HONG KONG FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE MEETING WELL AS TALKING TO THE TEAM THAT WOULD BE GOING TO PEKING.

ADDED.

"I WANT TO BE IN HONG KONG WHEN THOSE TALKS ARE GOING

"ON OUR SIDE WE ARE DETERMINED TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE TALKS AND TO REACH AN AGREEMENT. WE BELIEVE HONG NEW AIRPORT AND NEEDS TO GET ON BUILDING IT AS SOON AS

NEW

HE

AS

ON,

HE

A SUCCESS KONG NEEDS POSSIBLE.

OF

A

"REALISTICALLY IN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, TO GET ON WITH THE PROJECT ON AN ECONOMIC BASIS WITH SIGNIFICANT PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION, WE NEED THE ACQUIESCENCE OF CHINA, OR A DEGREE OF SUPPORT FROM CHINA, RATHER THAN OPPOSITION.

"WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO REACH AGREEMENT ON MATTERS

WHICH ARE OF CONCERN TO EACH SIDE, HE SAID.

THROUGHOUT HIS AUSTRALIAN VISIT, THE GOVERNOR HAS STRESSED THE DYNAMISM OF HONG KONG, THE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES, THE FUTURE BEYOND 1997, AND THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE TERRITORY CAN PLAY I'N THE CONTINUING GROWTH OF THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION.

THIS MESSAGE WAS DELIVERED TO MORE THAN 300 BUSINESS PEOPLE AT A PACKED LUNCHEON IN SYDNEY TODAY WHEN SIR DAVID SPOKE OFF THE CUFF FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES IN A SPEECH THAT WAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY BY THE BIG AUDIENCE.

RECEIVED

/SIR DAVID