TNAG-2260-FCO40-3256-Hong-Kong-Port-and-Airport-Development-Strategy-(PADS)-pres-1991 — Page 74

1991-06-13 10:14 INFORMATION SERVICES DEPT

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852 521 7725 P.05/12

AIRPORT

Vincent LO: A delegation of the HK General Chamber of Commerce returned to HK after a visit to Peking, the media reported in good .. coverage. Delegation leader Vincent Lo indicated that they had a two-hour talks with the Director of the HK and Macau Affairs Office, Lu Ping, and had clearly reflected their views on the new airport project to him. Mr Lo said that the impression he had got from the talks was that it was rather unlikely that China and Britain would reach an agreement over the airport in the near future as the two sides seemed to harbour deep distrust of each other. He quoted Mr Lu as reiterating that China hoped that HK would build a new airport as soon as possible. Mr Lu was confident that the two sides would eventually strike a deal and he expressed the hope that the private sector would take part in the project. Mr Lu said that the Chinese had no intention of interfering with HK affairs nor did it wanted to see HK become a "lame-duck".

Study Group:

The Study Group for the Infrastructure Development, led by Wang Liang-huew and Victor Sit, met Lu Ping yesterday during a three-day visit to Peking, the media reported. The group had briefed

Mr Lu alternative sites for the new airport. They were opposed to building the airport at Chek Lap Kok. Mr Lu reiterated that the new airport must involve low investment and have high cost-effectiveness. The new airport should not saddle the future SAR Government with burdens. He hoped that the HK Government would increase the transparency of the project as the project related to the interests of HK people, adding that HK people had the right to know various aspects of the project, including the choice of the location.

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The HK Building Contractors' Association chairman, Cheung kam-lung, said that if the new airport project dragged on, it would affect HK' building sector, some papers said. At a public function, Mr Cheung said that at present, some 30 Government works had been shelved because the airport project had been delayed. He hoped that the authorities would make an early decision.

Sources: The HK Economic Journal said that major differences between China and Britain ovet the examination of franchises straddling 1997 had become an obstacle to resolving the airport issue. British sources said they believed that China's demand to examine such franchises was beyond the scope of the Joint Declaration and the Basic

However, the Chinese believed that the right of examination was a means to give expression to sovereignty. If the HK Government granted franchises straddling 1997 without China's examination, it had breached the Basic Law.

1.aw.

ROBIN MCLAREN

The

The new British Ambassador to Peking, Robin McLaren had not yet contacted the Chinese on the question of the new airport, Sing Tao Jih Pao reported, quoting sources close to the British Embassy there. paper believed that the airport talks would not resume before the end of the month.