CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2967
OF 08110OZ OCTOBER 90
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
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114363 MDHIAN 3007
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INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PADS : EXPERT DISCUSSIONS
1. NCNA INFORMED THE POLITICAL ADVISER ON 8 OCTOBER THAT THE CHINESE SIDE AGREED TO THE DATES FOR THE PADS EXPERT DISCUSSIONS OF 15-25 OCTOBER, AND TO THE PROGRAMME WHICH WE HAD PROPOSED COUR TELNO 87 TO PEKING).
2. EHRMAN DISCUSSED WITH THEM A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT PRESS RELEASE ON THE VISIT. YANG YOUYONG SAID THAT HE SAW NO OBJECTION TO IT. WE THEREFORE INTEND TO ISSUE IT ON 9 OCTOBER. IT READS :
QUOTE AT THE INVITATION OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, A TEAM OF CHINESE EXPERTS, LED BY MR YONG LONGGUI, WILL VISIT HONG KONG FROM 15-25 OCTOBER. THEY WILL HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON THE NEW AIRPORT AND RELATED PROJECTS WITH THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY AND A HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TEAM LED BY MRS ANSON CHAN, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES. THEY WILL VISIT AIRPORT AND PORT SITES. THE GOVERNOR WILL MEET THE TEAM UNQUOTE.
3. YANG SAID THAT HE THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT THAT BOTH SIDES SHOULD REFRAIN FROM TOO MUCH PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE EXPERT DISCUSSIONS WHILE THEY WERE TAKING PLACE, SINCE THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST ROUND
(SIC). EHRMAN SAID THAT THE DETAILED CONTENT OF THE DISCUSSION SHOULD REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. YANG SAID THAT THIS WAS THE VIEW OF
THE CHINESE SIDE ALSO.
COMMENT
4. YANG'S REMARK THAT THIS WOULD ONLY BE THE FIRST ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS UNDERLINES THE FACT THAT WE ARE UNLIKELY TO GET ANY CLEAR CHINESE EXPRESSION OF VIEW ON THE AIRPORT PROJECTS FOR SOME
TIME.
WILSON
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