UNCLASSIFIED
25775
MDLIAN 40041
YIU-CHUNG (DAB) SAID THE DELAY WAS NOT ENOUGH TO SHOW BRITISH SINCERITY.
LAND COMMISSION
6.
THE PRESS TODAY QUOTED LEE WEI-TING AS SAYING THAT THE LAND COMMISSION (LC) HAD NOT MET TO DISCUSS THE LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME FOR NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THE BRITISH SIDE HAD NOT/NOT PROPOSED A MEETING (SIC). WHILE NO DATE HAD BEEN SET FOR THE NEXT LC MEETING, LEE BELIEVED LAND SUPPLY WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED. HE NOTED THAT THE LAND QUOTA APPROVED BY THE LC IN 1992/93 HAD NOT BEEN FULLY UTILISED AND THAT PROPERTY DEVELOPERS STILL HAD SOME LAND IN RESERVE. HE DENIED REPORTS THAT IN FUTURE THE CHINESE WOULD STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE 50 - HECTARE LIMIT, ADDING THAT THE CHINESE HAD ALL ALONG BEEN TAKING INTO ACCOUNT HONG KONG'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN APPROVING THE LAND QUOTA. HE SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOT MAKE THINGS DIFFICULT FOR HKG OVER THE 50 - HECTARE LIMIT.
7.
ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, LEE QUESTIONED HOW THE LC COULD MEET IN THE CURRENT POLITICAL CLIMATE. HE NEVERTHELESS ADMITTED THAT BOTH SIDES HAD ESTABLISHED GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP IN THE LC.
HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED HIM AS SAYING THAT DESPITE THE ROW, BOTH THE JLG AND THE LC SHOULD NOT CEASE TO MEET.
8. AS FOR LAND LEASES STRADDLING 1997, LEE SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE PUT TO THE PROPOSED PRELIMINARY WORKING ORGANISATION FOR THE SAR PC FOR APPROVAL : UNDER THE JD LAND GRANTS WERE A MATTER FOR THE LC AND THE CHINESE WOULD ABIDE BY THE JD.
NEW KITCHEN
ACCORDING TO HK ECONOMIC TIMES, THE SECOND DEPARTMENT OF HKMO STATE COUNCIL WAS WORKING OUT DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED WORKING ORGANISATION, INCLUDING ITS COMPOSITION, MEMBERSHIP, LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT. IN VIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ORGANISATION, IT COULD BE PUT UNDER THE POLITBURO. THE REPORT ALSO SAID THAT WHETHER LI LANQING WOULD TAKE CHARGE OF SETTING UP THE NEW KITCHEN REMAINED TO BE SEEN.
BAUHINIA ARTICLE ON BUDGET
10. THE APRIL ISSUE OF THE BAUHINIA MAGAZINE CARRIED AN ARTICLE CRITICISING THE BUDGET. IT ALLEGED THAT WE HAD DEPARTED FROM OUR ESTABLISHED FINANCIAL POLICY OUT OF POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND WERE DELIBERATELY CREATING DEFICITS IN ORDER TO DEPLETE THE
RESERVES BY 1997.
2
PAGE
UNCLASSIFIED
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.