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FM HONG KONG
0 1 JUL 1991
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
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OF 26095OZ JUNE 91
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INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
66
007236
MDHIAN 2729
TOP COPY Q DIST?
AIRPORT TALKS: PRESS REPORTS 26 JUNE, 1991
1.
WEN WEI PO CARRIED AN EDITORIAL TODAY (26 JUNE) ON REMARKS MADE BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE PRESS AFTER MEETING THE PRIME MINISTER.
2.
THE PAPER SAID THAT THE REMARKS SHOULD BE WELCOMED AS THEY REVEALED A POSITIVE AND PRAGMATIC ATTITUDE TO THE AIRPORT PROJECT. THE GOVERNOR HAD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HONG KONG NEEDED A NEW AIRPORT AND HAD NOT/NOT SAID IT WOULD BE SHELVED. HE HAD ACCEPTED THAT SINCE THE PROJECT INVOLVED MASSIVE INVESTMENT, AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE WAS NECESSARY BEFORE IT WENT AHEAD, AND HAD SAID THAT WITHOUT CHINESE SUPPORT CERTAIN TENDERS WOULD BE DELAYED. BUILDING WORKS WOULD QUITE REASONABLY START AT AN APPROPRIATE TIME.
3.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DELAY IN TENDERING DID NOT/NOT LIE WITH THE CHINESE. WHEN HKG HAD SUDDENLY ANNOUNCED THE AIRPORT PROJECT IN OCTOBER 1989, THE ANNOUNCEMENT HAD BASICALLY BEEN MADE WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN ADVANCE AND WITHOUT FIRST REACHING AGREEMENT. HAD SUCH CONSULTATIONS BEEN MADE AND THE SUPPORT OF THE CHINESE OBTAINED BEFORE AN ANNOUNCEMENT HAD BEEN MADE, TENDERING FOR THE ENGINEERING WORKS COULD HAVE STARTED IN MAY THIS YEAR.
4. WHEN THE CHINESE EXPERT GROUP HAD COME TO HONG KONG, A LIST OF MORE THAN 10 TENDERS HAD RAPIDLY BEEN UNILATERALLY ANNOUNCED, AND IT HAD BEEN SAID THAT THE GROUP WERE HERE NOT/NOT FOR CONSULTATIONS BUT FOR EXPLANATIONS AND INFORMATION. THIS KIND OF INSINCERITY AND DELIBERATE OBFUSCATION HAD ALSO DELAYED PROGRESS AND CONSULTATIONS.
5.
SOME PEOPLE SAID THAT CONSULTATIONS ON THE AIRPORT CONSTITUTED INTERFERENCE IN HONG KONG AFFAIRS BY THE CHINESE. THIS HAD CREATED A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO THE TALKS. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NEVER TRIED TO INTERFERE WITH THE CONCRETE DETAILS OF THE
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