TNAG-2412-FCO40-3507-Hong-Kong-Port-and-Airport-Development-Strategy-(PADS)-pres-1992 — Page 25

The AINS MADE AFTER 1997. THAT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BEST WHY I'M SURE THAT A CHINESE OFFICIAL IS RIGHT TO SAY THE OTHER THAT IT'S WHOLLY REASONABLE FOR THE LAND FUND TO MAKE A CONTRIBE IF THE HONG KONG TAY-PAYER TODAY IS MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO PROJECTS THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

SO I'M A LITTLE SURPRISED BY SOME OF THE THINGS I READ IN ONE OR TWO NEWSPAPERS, BUT I'M STILL LOOKING FORWARD OPTIMISTICALLY TO A POSITIVE REACTION TO MEET OUR POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE PROPOSALS FROM OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE PRC. THEY PRESUMABLY WANT AS MUCH AS WE DO, A NEW AIRPORT, ON TIME. THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT. THINK THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG MUST BE GETTING A LITTLE IMPATIENT ABOUT THE ENDLESS DISCUSSIONS, THE WAY WE SEEM TO GO ROUND AND ROUND, THE SAME ARGUMENT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I'VE ONLY BEEN GOVERNOR FOR JUST OVER TWO MONTHS, I'VE ALREADY FOUND IT A LITTLE WEARYING GOING OVER THE SAME POINTS AGAIN AND AGAIN.

QUESTION

WILL THE BRITISH SIDE AMEND THE COUNTER PROPOSALS ?

شاهد في

GOVERNOR

WE CAN'T COME BACK WEEK AFTER WEEK WITH A NEW SET OF PROPOSALS. WE'VE PUT FORWARD THESE PROPOSALS IN GOOD FAITH. WHAT THESE PROPOSALS ATTEMPTED TO DO IS WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD THE CHINESE SIDE WANTED. THAT IS TO INCREASE THE EQUITY IN THE PROJECT AND TO DO SO BY USING THE RESOURCES FROM LAND WHICH

ARE PRODUCED BY

PROJECT. PREVIOUS SET OF PROPOSALS THAT WE HAD MAXIMISED HONG KONG'S CREDIT RAISING AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE CAN REASONABLY BORROW, BECAUSE HONG KONG IS SUCH A SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITY. SO WE'VE TRIED THAT APPROACH AND HAD IT TURNED DOWN. NOW WE TRY THIS OTHER APPROACH AND I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS POSSIBLE INDEFINITELY AND TO SPEND ONE'S WEEKEND WORKING OUT DIFFERENT SORT OF PROPOSALS, IN THE HOPE THAT SOME WHERE ON THE LINE, ONE WOULD HIT THE JACKPOT,

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CRITICISM THAT THE PRESENT PROPOSAL ENTAILS THE FUTURE SAR GOVERNMENT TO PAY THE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF MONEY ?

GOVERNOR –

I DON'T THINK THAT IT'S FAIR TO EXPECT THE HONG KONG TAXPAYER TO MAKE ALL THE CONTRIBUTION TODAY WHILE ALL THE GAIN IS MADE BY THE SAR TOMORROW. LET'S JUST REMEMBER THAT IN 1997 THE SAR WOULD RECEIVE A BIG, BIGGEST DOWRY SINCE CLEOPATRA. IT WILL RECEIVE ENORMOUS RESOURCES IN THE EXCHANGE FUND. IT WILL RECEIVE ENORMOUS RESOURCES IN THE LAND FUND. IT WILL HAVE A PUBLIC ACCOUNT WHICH ARE IN SURPLUS. THAT IS A TRIBUTE TO THE ENERGY AND THE DEDICATION AND THE HARD WORK OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THEY COULDN'T GO OUT THERE AND TELL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THAT WE HAD TO CUT THEIR PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PROGRAMMES IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN ORDER THAT ALL THE GAINS FROM THIS PROJECT SHOULD ACCRUE TO THE SAR AFTER THAT. WOULDN'T BE FAIR TO PEOPLE. I DON'T THINK THAT ANYBODY SERIOUSLY PUT IT FORWARD AS A PROPOSITION.

QUESTION

THAT COULD

APART FROM FAIRNESS, HOW ABOUT SAYING THAT THE BRITISH PROPOSAL IS IN BREACH OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND BASIC LAW?

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