TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 114

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022233 MDHIAN 7158

AIRPORT.

9.

ORIENTAL DAILY QUOTED CHINESE OFFICIAL SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE HAD TABLED A PROPOSAL OF LOWER COSTS AND HIGHER EQUITY INJECTION AT THE LAST AC MEETING, BUT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD YET TO RESPOND. CHINESE SOURCES ALSO SAID THAT THE CENTRAL/WANCHAI RECLAMATION PROJECT WAS RELATED TO THE OVERALL FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT, AND THERE WAS NO REASON FOR FLEXIBLE AND SEPARATE TREATMENT BE GIVEN TO THE PROJECT. THE SCMP UNDERSTOOD THAT ONE OF CHINA'S MAJOR CONCERN OVER THE CENTRAL/WANCHAI RECLAMATION WAS ITS POSSIBLE LINKAGE WITH THE REDEVELOPMENT OF HMS TAMAR. THE PAPER QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE WERE CONCERNED THAT APPROVAL FOR THE PROJECT MIGHT BE INTERPRETED AS AN ENDORSEMENT TO PULL DOWN THE POW BUILDING. ACCORDING TO THE PAPER, THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD CLARIFY AT THE AC MEETING THAT THE RECLAMATION PROJECT WOULD NOT COVER THE TAMAR AREA.

POLL.

10.

A TELEPHONE POLL WAS COMMISSIONED BY ORIENTAL MAGAZINE FROM 17 TO 18 JUNE. 43 PERCENT OF THE 574 RESPONDENTS AGREED THAT HONG KONG HAD BECOME MORE DEMOCRATIC AFTER THE GOVERNOR HAD ASSUMED HIS POST. WHILE 42.6 PERCENT EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION ABOUT THE GOVERNOR'S HANDLING OF CHINA-HONG KONG RELATIONS, 26.7 PERCENT THOUGHT OTHERWISE.

FORD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

.HK POLICY

65

DISTRIBUTION

72

NTCD

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

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