XN000022-1997-03-18 — Page 6

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Reporter: What do you think of comments by the NCNA that there (inaudible) in Hong Kong after the handover (inaudible)?

Governor: Well, my range of responsibilities don't, as you may have noticed, include responsibility for the New China News Agency. While I have already made clear Britain's continuing commitment to monitor the implementation of the Joint Declaration, we have no responsibility for monitoring the role of the New China News Agency. I leave questions of the relationship between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong and the New China News Agency and other organs of the PRC Government, I leave matters like that to Chinese officials to explain. I am sure the community will be interested in what those relationships are but it is really not a matter for me. Thank you very much indeed.

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Officials consulted on Lantau Link fireworks display

The Director of the New Airport Projects Co-ordination Office (NAPCO), Mr Billy Lam, today (Tuesday) denied a press report that the decision to hold a fireworks display was taken by the Governor alone and that government departments had not been consulted.

Lam.

"I wish to make it absolutely clear that these claims are totally untrue," said Mr

He said the idea of an opening ceremony for the Lantau Link which includes a fireworks display was first mooted by NAPCO last summer and a working group, comprising 13 government branches and departments including Transport Branch and Department, the Police, Home Affairs Department and Broadcasting, Culture and Sport Branch, was formed in August last year to discuss the ceremony.

In January this year, a steering committee with representatives from 19 Government branches and departments was formed to co-ordinate the overall

programme.

The decision was also endorsed by the Airport Development Steering Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary.

An application for staging the fireworks was made by the commercial sponsor, Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd, and this was vetted in the normal way by the Fireworks Vetting Committee on 14 February and approved by the Governor-in-Council on March 4.

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