TNAG-2144-FCO40-3063-Hong-Kong-Port-and-Airport-Development-Strategy-(PADS)-1990 — Page 83

1990-11-02 05:51 COMMS OFFICE (GOVT HOUSE)

852 845 0995 P.07

6

NI

But

we have yet to hear any proposal which is a serious and well researched alternative to Chek Lap Kok.

6.

Chek that

but

We acknowledge

Lap Kok may not be the

best site aeronautically taking South China as a whole,

nevertheless, the best site in terms of resolving Our problem is not one

it is,

the

complex problem we are facing.

simply of air traffic growth and difficult terrain.

over-simplification

of

we

think should

This

the problem has led some to suggest

of terms in solely

siting an airport

Chinese side of the border where terrain

somewhere on the

constraints are less

Delta as a

the airport

whole.

problematic to serve the Pearl River This suggestion misses the point that is needed primarily to serve Hong Kong and the Region which will come into

future Special Administrative

being in 1997.

The Joint Declaration and the Basic Law

require us

to "take

measures

for the maintenance of the

status

of

regional

Hong

aviation".

Kong

as

a

centre

of international and

We

have shall

our own Air Service

Agreements

and

be

to able

negotiate our own air traffic

rights with

third countries within the limits laid down in

the Joint Declaration. If we fail to have an international airport within the geographical limits of Hong Kong which is capable of meeting demand, we would in effect be giving

up

this autonomy

in

civil

aviation

has which

been