TNAG-1941-FCO40-2767-Future-of-Hong-Kong-defence-and-public-order-1989 — Page 225

CONFIDENTIAL

HKC062

2/1

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3432

OF 14040OZ OCTOBER 89

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING

223

055612

MDHIAN 9882

CHIEF SECRETARY'S PRESS CONFERENCE ON 12 OCTOBER

DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER: RELOCATION OF HMS TAMAR TO STONECUTTERS

1. THE CHIEF SECRETARY GAVE A PRESS CONFERENCE ON 12 OCTOBER ON THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF INFRASTRUCTURAL, CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALREADY COVERED IN THE GOVERNOR'S

11 OCTOBER 1989 SPEECH TO LEGCO.

2. IN REPLY TO A SPECIFIC QUESTION ON THE CENTRAL-WANCHAI RECLAMATION, THE CHIEF SECRETARY CONFIRMED THAT WE WOULD GO AHEAD WITH THE RECLAMATION AND THAT SITES WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE IN 1993. THE NAVAL BASIN WOULD THEN BE MOVED TO STONECUTTERS AND THAT WORK WOULD BEGIN IN 1992. THE CHIEF SECRETARY EMPHASISED THE NEED FOR THE LARGE AREAS OF COMMERCIAL LAND AND THE LEVEL OF POTENTIAL REVENUE FROM COMMERCIAL SITE SALES WHICH THE RECLAMATION WOULD PROVIDE.

3. THE CHIEF SECRETARY CONFIRMED THAT THE JLG HAD DISCUSSED THE DEFENCE LANDS ISSUE BUT DID NOT ELABORATE ON THE DETAILS OF THE DISCUSSION. HE ALSO CONFIRMED THAT NO DECISION HAD BEEN TAKEN ON THE FUTURE OF THE PRINCE OF WALES BUILDING.

4. THE CHIEF SECRETARY'S REMARKS ON THE RELOCATION OF THE NAVAL BASE WERE COVERED BY THE TWO ENGLAND DAILIES AND THE CHINESE PRESS

ON 13 OCTOBER 1989. LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS GAVE LOW KEY COVERAGE TO THE PROPOSED RELOCATION OF THE NAVAL BASE: THE

STORY DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN CARRIED BY OVERSEAS AGENCIES.

FORD

YYYY

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