UNCLASSIFIED
126712
MDLIAN 31
COULD NOT OBTAIN FUNDING FROM INTERNATIONAL BANKS. THE OFFICIAL ADDED THAT CHINA'S NEW DEMANDS HAD BECOME A NEW POLITICAL PROBLEM FOR THE BRITISH AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENTS.
10. LU PING SAID THAT HE WOULD ASK THAT REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE CHINESE SIDE BE PUT ON THE FUTURE AIRPORT AUTHORITY TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE SAR. HO SAI-CHU, A PROVISIONAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY MEMBER, SAID THAT IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHINESE TO DO SO AND THAT THE REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD BE CHOSEN FROM AMONG THE LOCAL BANK OF CHINA GROUP. THE EXPRESS NOTED THAT ACCORDING TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SOURCES, CHINA HAD REQUESTED THAT TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BANK OF CHINA GROUP BE INCLUDED IN THE AIRPORT AUTHORITY AND THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE THE POWER OF VETO. THE GOVERNMENT SOURCES SAID THAT THERE WERE GREAT DIFFERENCES IN VIEWS BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDE OVER THE ISSUE AS WELL AS OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE HAND-OVER IN 1997 AND THE SETTING UP OF A CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE ON INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS INVOLVING HONG KONG PEOPLE, AND THAT A CONSENSUS WAS NOT EXPECTED TO BE REACHED IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
11. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE ANGLO-HONG KONG PARLIAMENTARY GROUP, SIR PETER BLAKER, HOPED THAT THE CHINESE WOULD PAY ATTENTION TO THREE REASONS FOR HONG KONG TO BUILD A NEW AIRPORT THE PROJECT WOULD NOT DRAIN AWAY HONG KONG'S FISCAL RESERVES, THE NEW AIRPORT WOULD BRING ABOUT A SIZEABLE INCOME TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, AND THE AIRPORT WOULD STRENGTHEN HONG KONG'S BASIS AS AN INTERNATIONAL TRADING CENTRE.
WILSON
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
61
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
(RESTRICTED)
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
NEWS D
DISTRIBUTION
63
PUSD
RAD
PAGE
PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD
MR MCLAREN
MR BURNS
4
UNCLASSIFIED
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