XN000022-1991-06-25 — Page 2

TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1991

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AIRPORT REMAINS HK'S OBJECTIVE

THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT THE OBJECTIVE REMAINS THAT HONG KONG WOULD LIKE TO GET AHEAD WITH THE AIRPORT PROJECT AS SOON AS WE CAN.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER A MEETING WITH THE PRÍMB MINISTER, MR JOHN MAJOR, IN LONDON, SIR DAVID SAID: "OUR HOPE IS THAT WE WILL GO AHEAD WITH THE AIRPORT AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT HONG KONG NEEDS A NEW AIRPORT.

"I THINK NEARLY EVERYBODY IS AGREED ON THAT POINT, BUT IF WE ARE TO GO AHEAD WITH IT THEN WE NEED NOW TO REACH AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON A SENSIBLE, PRAGMATIC BASIS FOR GOING AHEAD WITH THE PROJECT,

"IT IS A VERY BIG PROJECT AND WE NEED TO KNOW IF WE ARE GOING TO EMBARK ON IT THAT WE CAN CARRY IT OUT SENSIBLY AND IN GOOD TIME."

POINTING OUT THAT HONG KONG'S PRESENT AIRPORT WAS EXTREMELY OVERCROWDED, SIR DAVID SAID THAT WAS GOING TO GET WORSE OVER THE YEARS.

WE

"A COMPETITION IN SOUTH-EAST ASIA WILL BE GOING AHEAD WITH BUILDING UP THEIR FACILITIES, SO FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW THE SOONER CAN GO AHEAD WITH THE PROJECT, THE SOONER WE COULD GET SOME SENSIBLE ARRANGEMENT WITH CHINA TO DO IT, THEN THE BETTER," HE ADDED.

"THERE IS, AS I WAS SAYING, PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCES IF WE DO NOT REACH AGREEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE,' HE SAID.

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"THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WHICH WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DOING WHICH AS A RESULT IF WE DO NOT REACH AGREEMENT IN THE NEAR FUTURE JUST HAVE TO SLIP.

QUESTION, I

"BUT THIS IS A QUESTION OF SLIPPAGE, IT IS NOT A EMPHASISE, OF CANCELLATION OF THE PROJECT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT."

"THERE ARE CERTAIN TENDERS WHICH ARE DUE TO BE GOING OUT IN THE FAIRLY NEAR FUTURE AND THE PRACTICAL CONSEQUENCE OF NOT REACHING AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE YET, IF THAT REMAINS THE CASE, IS THAT OF COURSE THERE HAS TO BE SOME POSTPONEMENT IN THAT,' SIR DAVID SAID.

"

ASKED IF HE WOULD HAVE FURTHER TALKS WITH CHINA, SIR DAVID SAID: "THERE IS CONTINUING CONTACT WITH CHINA, CONTINUING CONTACT ON THE DIPLOMATIC LEVEL, AND I DO EXPECT THAT TO GO ON."

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ON HIS MEETING WITH THE PRIME MINISTER, SIR DAVID SAID : THIS IS ONE OF THE REGULAR MEETINGS THAT I COME BACK FOR TO LONDON SO THAT I CAN KEEP MINISTERS UP-TO-DATE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HONG KONG.

"I HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED THIS MORNING TO HAVE A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WITH THE PRIME MINISTER COVERING THE RANGE OF ISSUES WHICH ARE OF CONCERN IN HONG KONG AT THE MOMENT.

/"OBVIOUSLY THOSE