TNAG-2329-FCO40-3373-Hong-Kong-contacts-with-academics-and-writers-1991 — Page 214

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Democracy

6.

You emphasised the importance Ministers had attached to the OMELCO consensus and the representations of individual OMELCO members. But it would not serve Hong Kong's interest for the democratisation process to come to an end in 1997. The greater prize was to establish a system which would be able to develop after 1997. The Chinese had taken a different view about the pace of democratisation. But we were nevertheless able to negotiate improvements in the timetable set out in the earlier draft of the Basic Law.

PADS

7.

You explained that the airport project had a long history. There had been nothing sudden about HKG's decision and announcement in 1989. Nor was it a departure from Hong Kong's traditional policy on infrastructural developments. Over the years there had been a succession of large-scale and highly successful projects. Many options had been explored for the airport and the Chep Lap Kok site had been identified as the most suitable both in the early eighties and in the present scheme. You stressed that decisions on PADS were for HKG, not HMG. These fell within the extensive autonomy devolved onto HKG by HMG.

Chisu Sainty

CJ Sainty

1 February 1991

cc: Ms Major

RESTRICTED

CODE 18-77