TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 291

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MDLIAN 6233

REMOVAL OF THE NAVAL BASE

37. MOST PAPERS (8.4) CARRIED CRITICISM BY A SPOKESMAN OF THE CHINESE JLG THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD TAKEN A WRONG MOVE TO UNILATERALLY HANDLE THE USE OF MILITARY SITES PRIOR TO REACHING AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE BRITISH WOULD HAVE TO SHOULDER ALL RESPONSIBILITY IF THEY INSISTED ON THEIR OWN WAY. FCO SPOKESMAN CHRIS OSBORNE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE RELOCATION OF THE NAVAL BASE WAS TO ENABLE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE AND THAT SINCE BOTH SIDES HAD NOT YET REACHED AN OVERALL AGREEMENT ON THE USE OF MILITARY LAND, THE BRITISH SIDE HAD THE RIGHT TO DECIDE HOW INDIVIDUAL SITES COULD

BE USED.

NEW CHINA HONG KONG COMPANY

38.

MANY PAPERS (8.4) QUOTED NEW CHINA HONG KONG COMPANY CHAIRMAN TSUI TSIN TONG AS SAYING THAT THE PEKING/HONG KONG DEVELOPMENT COMPANY UNDER THE STATE COUNCIL'S HKMAO HAD DROPPED PLANS TO TAKE A 2.5 PERCENT STAKE IN THE NEW CHINA/HONG KONG COMPANY. INSTEAD, THE TWO COMPANIES WOULD CO-OPERATE ON A PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT IN PEKING.

RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT

39.

PAPERS (3.4) WIDELY REPORTED THE LAUNCHING OF A CONSULTATION EXERCISE BY THE GOVERNMENT ON RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT UP TO 2011. SOME PAPERS PLAYED UP SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT MICHAEL LEUNG'S REMARKS THAT THE JLG HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD BE CONSULTED BEFORE ANY CONTRACTS WERE SIGNED.

SURVEY

40. HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES (2.4) RELEASED THE FINDINGS OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE POLLING AND BUSINESS RESEARCH CENTRE BETWEEN 26-29 MARCH. 839 PEOPLE WERE SUCCESSFULLY INTERVIEWED OUT OF A TOTAL OF 1,642 CALLS, REPRESENTING A RESPONSE RATE OF 51 PERCENT. IT SHOWED THAT ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS STILL SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S REFORM PACKAGE WHILE THOSE OPPOSING HAD RISEN FROM 25 TO 30 PERCENT. MORE THAN 20 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS SUPPORTED A CHANGE OF GOVERNOR.

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