Airport
9.
Do you share the Governor's impatience with the Chinese reaction on airport financing?
Like to have seen agreement by now. Ball is in Chinese court. Everyone agrees new airport is important for Hong Kong. Have done our very best to take account of Chinese problems with financing arrangements, and have given them some new proposals based on their own ideas. Discussed this briefly with Chinese Foreign Minister. Look forward to a constructive Chinese response through the Airport Committee.
10. Criticisms in left wing press of HKG proposal and Governor's "outburst"
HKG's proposal makes commercial sense and entirely within terms of Memorandum of Understanding. JD makes provision for SARG share of land fund to be used before 1997. Governor's comments were no outburst.
11. Press reports of new Chinese airport financing proposal and early Airport committee meeting
Have not received any formal proposal: but would welcome an early meeting of Airport Committee if this would resolve outstanding issues.
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12. Are Chinese still linking airport to political issues?
They say not. Cannot see any reason why they should.
Governor's visit to Peking
13.
Postponement of Governor's visit a snub?
No a genuine clash of dates with their Party Congress. That is a major political event in China: once in five years. Quite understand not a time they can deal with important foreign visits as well. Governor will be going thereafter (21-23 October).
JLG issues
14.
Any progress on JLG issues from your meeting with Qian
Qichen?
Reviewed progress made at the productive JLG session in London last week. We were both pleased to see a more businesslike pace of work on the technical issues. Encouraged that we are also making some progress on the important Air Services Agreements issue. Need to keep up momentum.
questions.gen.bern
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