XN000022-1994-01-12 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1994

QUESTION: MR LU PING HAS ALSO SAID THAT IT IS BETTER то PUT MORE RESERVE FUND INJECTING INTO THE AIRPORT PROJECT, SO GOES IN LINE WITH THE MOU то MAKE THE DEBT DOWN TO $5 BILLION, DO YOU THINK POSSIBLE AND DO YOU THINK IT HELPS TO KEEP THE WORK GOING?

IT IS

GOVERNOR: I AM A BIT CONFUSED AND I DON'T WANT TO BE CRITICAL BECAUSE AS I'VE SAID, WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES ROUND THE TABLE IN THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE RATHER THAN AT SEVERAL THOUSAND MILES' DISTANCE THROUGH THE TELEVISION CAMERAS BUT I DID FIND WHAT DIRECTOR LU PING WAS SAYING YESTERDAY SLIGHTLY PUZZLING. ON THE ONE HAND, WAS SAYING "DON'T YOU PUT ANY MORE MONEY INTO THE AIRPORT TO KEEP THE PROJECT GOING". ON THE OTHER HAND, HE WAS SAYING THE HONG KONG IT'S

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GOVERNMENT SHOULD PUT MORE TAXPAYERS' MONEY INTO THE PROJECT" SO A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING. AND, PERHAPS, IT IS ANOTHER REASON WHY WE NEED A MEETING OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE SO THAT WE CAN RESOLVE THOSE MATTERS.

QUESTION : MR PATTEN, MR CUNNINGHAM WILL GO TO BEIJING TO SEE MR LU PING LATER THIS WEEK. SO, WILL YOU ASK HIM TO PASS ANY MESSAGE FOR YOU TO THE CHINESE SIDE TO EASE THE RELATIONSHIP AT THIS MOMENT ?

GOVERNOR : DR CUNNINGHAM IS WELL BRIEFED AND KNOWS THE SITUATION VERY WELL FOR HIMSELF. I'LL LET HIM ANSWER. BUT ALL THAT I WOULD HOPE THAT HE WOULD SAY TO DIRECTOR LU PING IS THAT WE REMAIN POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE TALKS ABOUT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER MATTERS AT ANY TIME WHICH IS CONVENIENT FOR THE CHINESE SIDE. I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE CAN PROCEED ON THE BASIS OF AGREEMENT. IF WE CAN'T PROCEED ON THE BASIS OF AGREEMENT, THEN WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHICH WE INTEND то DISCHARGE.

I

DR CUNNINGHAM : I AM NOT GOING, IN ANY SENSE, AS AN

FOR THE GOVERNOR OR FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT. I AM GOING AS THE GOVERNOR SAID, THE LABOUR PARTY'S PRINCIPAL SPOKESMAN ON FOREIGN POLICY. SHALL BE LISTENING VERY CAREFULLY TO WHAT MR LU PING AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE TO SAY AND REITERATING UNEQUIVOCALLY OUR SUPPORT FOR EXTENDING THE FRANCHISE IN HONG KONG AND FOR THE GOVERNOR'S MODEST PROPOSAL FOR A DEMOCRATIC REFORM. IF, IN SOME WAYS, AS A RESULT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS AND I CAN BE HELPFUL IN PERSUADING MR LU PING THAT TALKS SHOULD BE RESUMED, OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE A GREAT BONUS. I DON'T REALLY ANTICIPATE THAT OUTCOME BUT LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS AT THE TALKS.

QUESTION : YOU AND THE CHINESE SIDE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEW POLITICS. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT TO GET FROM THE MEETING... ?

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DR CUNNINGHAM

WELL I DON'T KNOW. I'M GOING TO LISTEN TO WHAT DIRECTOR LU PING AND HIS COLLEAGUES, THE VICE MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND ONE OF THE STATE LEADERS WHO I HOPE TO MEET. I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD BE YET. I AM GOING TO LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. WE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THEM THROUGH THEIR AMBASSADOR IN LONDON AND WITH MR ZHU RONGJI WHEN HE WAS IN LONDON. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN EXPLICIT THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH ME ABOUT WHAT EXACTLY THEIR OBJECTIONS TO GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS ARE AND WHAT THEIR PROBLEMS MAYBE WHEN I'M IN BEIJING, I'LL GET A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF EXACTLY THE CHINESE POSITION IS AND WHY THEY HAVE TAKEN THAT POSITION.

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