XN000022-1991-05-15 — Page 24

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1991

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RIGHT TIME TO TRY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS ON AIRPORT PROJECT

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO TRY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS AND ΤΟ REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THE NEW AIRPORT PROJECT.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM A FIVE- DAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO AUSTRALIA, SIR DAVID SAID HE THOUGHT

IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT HE SHOULD BE BACK IN HONG KONG WHEN THE TALKS AIRPORT RESUMES ON SATURDAY.

ON THE

"IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO BE TRYING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS ON BOTH SIDES AND TRYING TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WHICH COVERS CHINESE CONCERNS WHEN WE CAN, AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR CONCERNS ARE ALSO DEALT WITH ADEQUATELY, AND THAT WE CAN DO THINGS IN A PRACTICAL, SENSIBLE MANNER AND THE RIGHT OF AUTHORITY TO DO IT," THE GOVERNOR SAID.

"ON OUR SIDE WE WANT TO MEET CHINESE CONCERNS WHERE WE CAN BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH ARE PRACTICAL, WHICH ENABLE US CARRY OUT A PROJECT, AND ENABLE US TO RETAIN OUR ABILITY AND OUR AUTHORITY ΤΟ CARRY OUT PROJECTS OF THIS SORT AND THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF THE TERRITORY, SIR DAVID SAID.

"

"WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHERE THE PROBLEM AREAS ARE AND WHERE WE CAN MEET THOSE CONCERNS. THE EXACT DETAILS OF HOW THAT CAN BE DONE MUST, I BELIEVE, BE LEFT TO THE NEGOTIATING TEAM RATHER THAN PLAYED OUT IN THE PUBLIC BEFORE THEY CAN EVEN SIT DOWN ROUND THE TABLE AND DISCUSS IT," HE SAID.

"WE WOULD LIKE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. THE PENALTY OF NOT DOING SO IS QUITE SIMPLY THAT THE WHOLE PROJECT GETS DELAYED, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

HAD

"THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION AT THE MOMENT IS THAT HAVING A PERIOD WHERE WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CRITICAL COMMENT ON THE PROJECT, IF WE WANT THE SORT OF PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENT WHICH WE NEED FOR THIS TO BE AN ECONOMIC, SENSIBLE PROJECT FOR HONG KONG, THEN WE WANT TO GET A BENEVOLENT ATTITUDE, SUPPORT FROM CHINA, WHATEVER WORDS YOU WANT ΤΟ USE, IN ORDER TO ENABLE THAT TO GO AHEAD," HE ADDED.

SIR DAVID SAID HE BELIEVED THAT HIS VISIT TO AUSTRALIA WAS SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING ACROSS THE MESSAGE ABOUT HONG KONG AS A PLACE WHICH STILL HAD A VIBRANT ECONOMY, IN WHICH AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT COULD PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE.

"I WAS VERY STRUCK BY THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST THAT THEY TAKE IN HONG KONG IN AUSTRALIA, THAT COVERS BOTH THE POLITICAL LEVEL, THE BUSINESS LEVEL AND THE MEDIA LEVEL.

"THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST IN HONG KONG AS A CENTRE FOR TRADE IN ITS OWN RIGHT, BUT INCREASINGLY AS A BASE FOR TRADING INTO CHINA FOR ENTREPOT TRADE. AND INTERESTINGLY A LOT OF BUSINESSMEN 9KE THIS AS A LONG-TERM PROSPECT WHICH OF COURSE WAS THE SORT OF THING WHICH I WAS TRYING TO ENCOURAGE,' HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID HE WAS SORRY THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE HIS VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND AND THAT HE WOULD TRY TO RE-INSTATE EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

IT AS

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