XN000022-1992-11-10 — Page 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1992

WILL

"IT IS ALSO HOPED THAT INTRODUCING A NEW OPERATOR INCREASE INTEREST IN OPERATING THE NEW TERMINALS ON LANTAU WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED IN 1997 AND BEYOND," HE SAID.

THE CHOICE OF THE TSING YI CONTAINER TERMINAL CONSORTIUM WAS MADE ON THE BASIS OF ITS COMPARATIVELY STRONGER BACKGROUND IN LOCAL TERMINAL CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION.

THE SPOKESMAN

ALSO NOTED THAT THE EXISTING OPERATORS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE NOT ONLY IN TERMINAL DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION ALSO IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT.

HAD

BUT

"GIVEN THAT CT9 IS REQUIRED TO BE BROUGHT INTO USE IN ABOUT TWO YEARS' TIME, THE ADMINISTRATION WISHES то OPTIMISE OPERATORS' EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IN THIS AREA.

"INVOLVING THEM ALSO RECOGNISES THE LONG-STANDING THEY HAVE MADE TO THE PORT, HE SAID.

IT

COMMITMENTS

NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PROSPECTIVE GRANTEE WOULD START SHORTLY, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.

CS COMMENTS ON AIRPORT

IN RESPONSE TO PRESS INQUIRIES, A GOVENMENT SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY (TUESDAY):

"TODAY'S NEWSPAPERS CARRIED INCORRECT AND GARBLED ACCOUNTS OF A PRIVATE AND WIDE RANGING DISACUSSION WHICH CHIEF SECRETARY, SIR DAVID FORD, HAD WITH DISTRICT BOARD CHAIRMEN AT A DINNER LAST NIGHT.

"IN THE DISCUSSION, SIR DAVID MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

"IT IS IN EVERYONE'S INTEREST TO KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING ON THE AIRPORT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MOU. THE GOVERNMENT'S FIRST PRIORITY IS TO OBTAIN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON THE OVERALL FINANCIAL PACKAGES FOR THE AIRPORT AND AIRPORT RAILWAY;

"IF AGREEMENT CANNOT BE REACHED IMMEDIATELY ON THE OVERALL FINANCIAL PACKAGES, PROGRESS WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A STEP BY STEP BASIS: THE FIRST STEP IS A DECISION ON THE AIRPORT SITE FORMATION CONTRACT WHOSE TENDER VALIDITY RUNS TO THE END OF THIS MONTH;

"THE CHINESE SIDE SAID IN JULY IT WOULD HAVE NO OBJECTION TO US GOING AHEAD WITH THIS CONTRACT PRIOR TO AN OVERALL AGREEMENT ON THE AIRPORT FINANCIAL PACKAGE. THAT OFFER IS NOW BEING CONSIDERED.

"AT NO POINT DID SIR DAVID SUGGEST THAT A DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN TO GO AHEAD, REGARDLESS OF ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE.

"NO DEADLINE