XN000022-1992-11-21 — Page 2

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1992

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT TO BE DECIDED IN HK, PEKING AND LONDON

IT IS GENERALLY RECOGNISED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD THAT THE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG HAS TO BE DECIDED IN HONG KONG, PEKING AND LONDON, THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, SAID TODAY (SATURDAY).

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SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AT THE AIRPORT ON HIS RETURN FROM VISITS CANADA AND BRITAIN, MR PATTEN SAID: "I THINK IT'S GENERALLY RECOGNISED THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS

SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION ARE FOR US, IN PEKING, IN LONDON AND IN HONG KONG.

*BUT

"

INTEREST

THERE IS OF COURSE PERFECTLY NATURALLY A LOT OF IN WHAT'S HAPPENING IN HONG KONG. THERE IS A GOOD DEAL OF SYMPATHY AROUND THE WORLD FOR HONG KONG AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING SHOULD TURN OUR BACK ON," HE SAID.

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NOTING THAT HE HELD MEETINGS WITH NUMEROUS POLITICAL GROUPS IN LONDON, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT RIGHT ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM THERE IS SUCH WIDE AND DEEP SUPPORT FOR WHAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO DO IN HONG KONG TO IMPLEMENT SUCCESSFULLY THE JOINT DECLARATION.

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ASKED TO COMMENT ON CALLS FOR A REFERENDUM ON HIS PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD IN OCTOBER, MR PATTEN SAID: "I THINK THAT A REFERENDUM ISN'T ON MY AGENDA AT THE MOMENT; I THINK IT WOULD BE DIVISIVE AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT WOULD REMOVE FROM THE SHOULDERS OF LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING THE FINAL DECISIONS ON THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE."

** I BELIEVE THAT IT'S ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT THE PROPOSALS THAT PUT FORWARD IN OCTOBER WERE WHOLLY IN LINE WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION AND I HAVEN'T YET SEEN ANY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST OTHERWISE.

WERE

"PEOPLE HAVE OCCASIONALLY TALKED ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. I THINK THAT WE'RE WITHIN BOTH THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER AND I THINK THERE'S BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL LACK OF HARD EVIDENCE TO ARGUE TO THE CONTRARY," MR PATTEN SAID.

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DETAILED TALKS ON CT9 TO PROCEED

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECEIVED WRITTEN CONFIRMATION JOINTLY FROM THE TSING YI CONTAINER TERMINAL CONSORTIUM, MODERN TERMINALS LIMITED AND HONGKONG INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS LIMITED THAT THEY ARE PREPARED TO PROCEED WITH NEGOTIATIONS FOR A PRIVATE TREATY GRANT OF CONTAINER TERMINAL 9 TO A CONSORTIUM FORMED BY THE PARTIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING THE TERMINAL.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID ALTHOUGH THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR DETAILED DISCUSSIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS то CONCLUDE THE NEGOTIATIONS, THE CONFIRMATION RECEIVED WAS AN ENCOURAGING DEVELOPMENT AND AN INDICATION OF THE CONFIDENCE FELT BY THE PARTIES CONCERNED IN THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PORT.

NEGOTIATIONS WILL START NEXT WEEK.

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