TNAG-2494-FCO40-3626-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1992 — Page 175

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per.

Inde reacties

(101)

114312

MDHIAN 9833

ныс HKC 01214

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FM HONG KONG

TO DESKBY 30080OZ FCO

TELNO 2786

OF 29020OZ NOVEMBER 92

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

AIRPORT.

GUO FENGMIN PUT OUT THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT LATE ON 28 NOVEMBER. BEGINS:

1.

'THE AIRPORT FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSED BY THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IN MARCH WENT FAR BEYOND THE PRINCIPLES AND STIPULATIONS OF THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO REACH AGREEMENT UP TO NOW. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT IS EXTREMELY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT UNILATERALLY TO AWARD THE AIRPORT SITE PREPARATION CONTRACT WITHOUT TAKING ANY NOTICE OF THE REPEATED STATEMENTS OF THE CHINESE SIDE. (COMMENT: XINHUA'S ENGLISH TRANSLATION REFERS TO 'THE REPEATED OPPOSITION OF THE CHINESE SIDE' BUT THIS DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE CHINESE VERSION). THE INEVITABLE RESULT WILL BE THAT HUGE SUMS ARE WASTED ON THE PROJECT AND A HEAVY BURDEN WILL BE PLACED ON THE TAX-PAYERS OF HONG KONG. THIS UNILATERAL ACTION BY THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INDICATES THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY DECIDED TO ABANDON THE SINO-BRITISH MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE NEW AIRPORT. THE CHINESE SIDE SOLEMNLY DECLARES THAT THE BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE

CONSEQUENCES'

ENDS.

COMMENT

2. THE STATEMENT FALLS JUST SHORT OF SAYING THAT WE HAVE/HAVE ABANDONED THE MOU. NOR DOES IT SAY THAT CHINA WILL ABANDON THE MOU, ALTHOUGH EQUALLY THERE IS NO MENTION OF CHINA REMAINING COMMITTED TO IT.

3

WE HAVE OF COURSE REPEATEDLY EMPHASISED THAT WE REMAIN COMMITTED TO THE MOU AND WANT TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS AS SOON AS WE CAN.

1

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