UNCLASSIFIED
pa.
M4123301/1
TOP
Medis (47)
113007 MDLIAN 3977
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELNO 1134
OF 171015Z APRIL 91
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP LG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, HKGO GENEVA
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE:
WEEKLY ROUNDUP
SUMMARY
1.
THE FOCUS OF MEDIA ATTENTION WAS ON THE AIRPORT.
AIRPORT
A STATEMENT BY THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN PEKING WAS WIDELY QUOTED (14.4) AS INDICATING THAT THE POSITION OF THE TWO SIDES WAS NOW CLOSER BUT THAT SOME IMPORTANT ISSUES REMAINED TO BE RESOLVED. THE STATEMENT ADDED THAT DETAILED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WOULD BE MADE THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS. SOME REPORTS (12-14.4) NOTED THAT CHINA'S INSISTENCE THAT IT BE CONSULTED ON MAJOR HK ISSUES STRADDLING 1997 AND THE FIRM STAND OF THE BRITISH ON ITS RIGHT OF ADMINISTRATION IN THE TERRITORY
BEFORE 1997 WAS THE MAJOR OBSTACLE IN THE TALKS.
2.
}
BRITISH SOURCES WERE QUOTED (15.4) AS SAYING THAT THE FOCUS OF THE AIRPORT TALKS HAD BEEN ON CHINA'S RIGHT TO CONSIDER HK'S ISSUES. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (15.4) SAID IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD DEMANDED THAT THE APPROVAL OF CONTRACTS AND FRANCHISES RELATED TO THE PROJECT AS WELL AS REVENUE AND LOAN-RAISING POLICIES BE EXAMINED BY THE CHINESE IN THE YEARS LEADING UP TO 1997 TO SAFEGUARD THE INTERESTS OF THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT. THE HK GOVERNMENT, HOWEVER, FELT THAT THIS WOULD UNDERMINE THE HK GOVERNMENT'S ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY.
3 =
VICE-HEAD OF THE FIRST DEPARTMENT OF THE HK AND MACAU OFFICE CHEN ZOU'ER IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CHINA NEWS SERVICE (15.4) SAID THAT THE CHINESE HAD ALWAYS SHOWN GENUINE INTEREST AND HOPE IN THE AIRPORT PROJECT BUT THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE THE JOINT EFFORT OF BOTH SIDES TO WORK OUT AN ACCORD. BOTH CHEN ZOU'ER AND A VICE- DIRECTOR OF THE LOCAL BRANCH OF THE NCNA, ZHANG JUNSHENG, 14 AND
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