CONFIDENTIAL
123574
MDHIAN 2916
HAD ALREADY STATED, INTER ALIA, THAT EXPENDITURE FOR THE CHINESE MILITARY FORCES STATIONED IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997 WOULD BE BORNE BY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, HE FELT THAT THE EXPENDITURE FOR MILITARY FORCES STATIONED IN HONG KONG PRIOR TO 1997 SHOULD ACCORDINGLY BE BORNE BY THE SOVEREIGN STATE. IN VIEW OF THE IMPROVED SINO-BRITISH RELATIONSHIP, IT WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE BRITISH GARRISON AT THE EXISITING LEVEL. HE THEREFORE QUERIED WHETHER IT WAS STILL EQUITABLE FOR HONG KONG TO PAY SUCH A HIGH PERCENTAGE IN DEFENCE COST. HE FURTHER REMARKED THAT THE JOB OF THE BRITISH GARRISON IN HONG KONG WAS MAINLY DEPLOYED ON BORDER DUTIES, AND THIS TASK WOULD BE GRADUALLY TAKEN OVER BY THE POLICE. HE FELT THEREFORE THAT HONG KONG'S SHARE OF DEFENCE COST SHOULD BE REDUCED, IF NOT REMOVED ALTOGETHER.
14. THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT NEGOTIATIONS ON THE DEFENCE COST AGREEMENT WERE STILL IN PROGRESS, BUT HE WAS HAPPY TO SAY THAT AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE HAD BEEN REACHED. IT WAS HOPED THAT THE
DETAILS CONCERNING THE AGREEMENT COULD BE SORTED OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IN REPLY TO MR MARTIN LEE'S SUGGESTION THAT THE DEFENCE COST AGREEMENT SHOULD BE MADE CONDITIONAL UPON THE RESOLUTION OF THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEE PROBLEM, THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE TO LINK THE TWO ISSUES, BUT CONSIDERED THAT EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO RESOLVE BOTH ISSUES SEPARATELY.
EXPO 1997
15. MR STEPHEN CHEONG REQUESTED THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO ASK THE UK GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSAL TO HOLD AN EXPO IN 1997 IN HONG
KONG AND TO REGISTER THE INTENT WITH THE BUREAU INTERNATIONAL
D'EXPOSITIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
16.
IN RESPONSE, THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS UNDERTAKING A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON THE PROJECT. A DECISION WOULD BE MADE AFTER THE OUTCOME OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS KNOWN.
BASIC LAW
17. REFERRING TO THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, MR ANDREW WONG SAID THAT HE WOULD APPRECIATE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMENTS ON THE FOLLOWING POINTS :-
(A) WHETHER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD REFLECT TO THE CHINESE
· GOVERNMENT SHOULD THERE BE VARIATIONS BETWEEN THE SINO-BRITISH
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CONFIDENTIAL
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