XN000022-1994-10-06 — Page 33

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1994

TWO-THIRDS,

AND

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE SEEN WHAT IS

HAPPENING BUT

MAYBE THREE-QUARTERS NOW, OF THE SITE HAS BEEN RECLAIMED THE FIXED-CROSSING IS NOW SUBSTANTIALLY IN PLACE. WE'RE MAKING VERY SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS, WE'RE ALMOST THERE. I'M AFRAID THAT WE HAVEN'T QUITE GOT A FINANCIAL AGREEMENT BUT I HOPE THAT WILL COME SOON.

ON THE CONTAINER TERMINAL, I FEAR THAT WHAT MAY HAVE PREVENTED AN AGREEMENT IS POLITICAL FACTORS, WHICH HAVE BEEN MENTIONED BY SOME CHINESE OFFICIALS. BUT SINCE MY INTEREST IS IN TRYING TO GET AN AGREEMENT ON THE CONTAINER TERMINAL RATHER THAN TRYING TO PROVOKE ANOTHER ARGUMENT I'LL BE EXTREMELY DIPLOMATIC AT THIS POINT. BUT I SUSPECT THAT YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I KNOW WHAT THE ARGUMENT HAS BEEN ABOUT.

CAN I THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING. I REALISE THAT WE COULD HAVE HAD AN EVEN FRIENDLIER MEETING IF WE WEREN'T HAVING ANY COST RECOVERY FROM THE TERTIARY EDUCATION SECTOR BUT I HOPE THAT EVEN WITHOUT THAT ISSUE OF LOANS AND GRANTS, YOU HAVE FELT IT WORTHWHILE TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ASKING ME QUESTIONS. I'VE CERTAINLY ENJOYED IT AND I HOPE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH INDEED.

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PROPOSALS BY GOVERNOR OFFERED WITH GOODWILL AND SINCERITY

*

THE PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY THE GOVERNOR YESTERDAY TO SETTLE THE DIFFICULTIES BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA ARE OFFERED WITH GOODWILL AND SINCERITY AND WITH HONG KONG'S FUTURE WELL-BEING AT HEART, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, MRS ANSON CHAN, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

THESE WERE PRACTICAL, PRAGMATIC, DESIRABLE AND WHOLLY ACHIEVABLE MEASURES AND THE IR ACCEPTANCE WOULD BRING A WELCOME ASSURANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND SEND A POSITIVE SIGNAL ΤΟ HONG KONG'S PARTNERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, ANSON CHAN SAID WHILE ADDRESSING THE ASIAN AFFAIRS SEMINAR.

MRS

THE

MRS CHAN ALSO CLARIFIED SOME MISUNDERSTANDINGS ON GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TOWARDS THE PRELIMINERY WORKING COMMITTEE (PWC).

THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A BAN ON CONTACTS BETWEEN CIVIL SERVANTS AND PWC MEMBERS AND THERE HAD BEEN VARIOUS SUCH CONTACTS IN THE PAST, SHE SAID, ADDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HOPED THESE CONTACTS WOULD CONTINUE AND WOULD BE HELPFUL TO PWC MEMBERS.

"HOWERVER, GJVEN THE DIFFERENCES IN THE ROLES OF VARIOUS PARTIES, IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG CIVIL SERVANTS TO BECOME MEMBERS OF PWC; ATTEND FORMAL MEETINGS OF THE PWC OR ITS SUBGROUPS; OR ACT AS ADVISERS TO THE PWC OR ITS SUBGROUPS, SHE SAID.

"

"WITHIN THESE PARAMETERS, CIVIL SERVANTS ARE FREE TO DEVELOP OR MAINTAIN CONTACTS WITH PWC MEMBERS, EITHER IN THEIR OFFICIAL OR PRIVATE CAPACITIES," SHE ADDED.

/SHE NOTE