XN000022-1992-06-03 — Page 28

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1992

AIRPORT FINANCE PLAN UNLIKELY ON PMS' AGENDA

* * * * *

THE GOVERNOR, LORD WILSON, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT HE WOULD NOT EXPECT THE PRIME MINISTERS OF BRITAIN AND CHINA TO BE DISCUSSING IN RIO DE JANEIRO DETAILED MATTERS LIKE THE FINANCIAL PLAN FOR THE NEW AIRPORT IN HONG KONG.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER VISITING YUEN LONG, THE GOVERNOR SAID THOSE WERE THE SORTS OF THINGS WHICH SHOULD BE SORTED OUT AT A MUCH LOWER LEVEL THAN PRIME MINISTERIAL LEVEL.

"THE TWO PRIME MINISTERS ARE MEETING AT RIO WHERE THE EARTH SUMMIT IS GOING ON. IT WILL BE A VERY SHORT MEETING," HE SAID.

"I EXPECT THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING A LOT OF WORLD ISSUES. IT WOULDN'T BE SURPRISING IF THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED ON THE AIRPORT BECAUSE AFTER ALL THEY HAVE BOTH SIGNED THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WHICH GIVES APPROVAL TO THE AIRPORT GOING AHEAD AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

ASKED ABOUT HIS COMING VISIT TO BEIJING, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "THE ESSENTIAL PURPOSE IS FOR GOING TO BID FAREWELL TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE I HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH SINCE I HAVE BEEN GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG.

"SO I AM NOT GOING THERE TO NEGOTIATE THINGS BUT I WILL EXPECT ΤΟ USE IT REALLY TO TRY TO SUM UP THE EXPERIENCE OF OUR RELATION OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND TO LOOK AHEAD TO LESSONS WHICH WE MIGHT TRY TO LEARN FOR THE FUTURE.

** I EXPECT TO TOUCH ON ANY SUBJECTS WHICH ARE CURRENT AT THE MOMENT AND I HAVE NO DOUBT AT ALL THAT WE'LL TOUCH ON THE AIRPORT BUT AS I SAY IT'S NOT TO GO THERE TO NEGOTIATE."

EXPANDING ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE AIRPORT, LORD WILSON SAID: "WE ARE COMMITTED UNDER THE MEMORANDUM OF

UNDERSTANDING

TO BUILD AS MUCH THE AIRPORT AS WE CAN BEFORE 1997 AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

"A KEY PART OF GETTING ON WITH THAT ON PROGRAMME IN TIME IS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT SO WE CAN THEN GO TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND PUT IN THE BID TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR THE MONEY WE NEED.

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