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DAILY NEWS, IN ANOTHER REPORT FROM PEKING, SAID THAT THE CHINESE HAD MADE A MAJOR CONCESSION OVER THE NEW AIRPORT SITE AND NO LONGER OPPOSED THE TSING-MA BRIDGE. THIS IMPLIED THAT PEKING WERE HAPPY WITH THE CHEK LAP KOK SITE. THE EXPRESS QUOTED WELL- INFORMED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT DIFFERENCES REMAINED OVER QUESTIONS OF PRINCIPLE. THE BRITISH HAD TO AFFIRM THAT THE CHINESE HAD THE RIGHT TO EXAMINE MATTERS STRADDLING 1997.
5. WEN WEI PO CARRIED AN EDITORIAL SAYING THAT THE AIRPORT PROJECT NEEDED TO BE SERIOUSLY LOOKED AT BY THE COMMUNITY. IT WAS NECESSARY TO LEAVE CONSIDERABLE RESERVES FOR THE SARG TO MAINTAIN A SOUND FINANCIAL POSITION. ALL MAJOR ISSUES STRADDLING 1997 THAT REQUIRED THE SARG TO SHOULDER RESPONSIBILITIES OR DUTIES SHOULD BE RESOLVED THROUGH DISCUSSION AND CONSULTATION. UNLESS A CONSENSUS WAS REACHED ON THE MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, THEN THE AIRPORT ISSUE COULD NOT/NOT BE SORTED OUT. THE CHINESE HAD ALL ALONG ADOPTED A POSITIVE, CONSTRUCTIVE AND RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE AND HAD MADE MANY CONCESSIONS. THEY HAD ALSO PUT FORWARD A POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE DRAFT AGREEMENT. THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD SERIOUSLY STUDY THE CHINESE SIDE'S PROPOSAL AND RESPOND POSITIVELY.
6. TA KUNG PAO CARRIED A SHORT LEADER WHICH TOOK A SIMILAR LINE. IF THERE WAS NO CONSENSUS ON THE MATTER OF PRINCIPLE (CONSULTATION ON ISSUES STRADDLING 1997), THEN IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO ASK CHINA TO SUPPORT ISSUES STRADDLING 1997 WHICH HAD BEEN DECIDED UNILATERALLY BY THE BRITISH. TALKS ON THE NEW AIRPORT ISSUE WERE MUCH EASIER THAN TALKS LEADING TO THE JD. BUT THE PAPER WONDERED IF THE BRITISH WERE NOW CAPABLE OF MAKING A CORRECT POLITICAL DECISION. THE CHINESE HAD PROPOSED A DRAFT AGREEMENT. BOTH SIDES SHOULD ACT SINCERELY TO RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES. IF THE PROBLEM DRAGGED ON WITHOUT AGREEMENT, BOTH SIDES SHOULD MAKE PUBLIC THEIR RESPECTIVE PROPOSALS SO THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE COULD JUDGE BETWEEN THEM.
7. WEN WEI PO CARRIED THREE FURTHER COLUMNS ON THE AIRPORT. ONE SAID THAT THE DELAY IN THE PROJECT WAS BECAUSE THE TWO SIDES HAD NOT/NOT ENTERED THE DISCUSSIONS WITH SINCERITY AND HAD NOT/NOT PUT HONG KONG'S INTERESTS FIRST. ANOTHER ARGUED THAT THE GREATEST GUARANTEE FOR THE CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WAS NOT/NOT ONE SINGLE ISSUE BUT THE HIGHLY RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TOWARDS THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE CHINESE HAD PROPOSED A POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE AGREEMENT FOR THE BRITISH SIDE TO CONSIDER. THE THIRD ANALYSED THE MERITS OF CLEARWATER BAY
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