TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 66

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meeting and an overall agreement on the financial package was not expected to be reached before the Governor delivered his second policy address. Sing Tao Daily quoted sources close the Chinese side as saying the Chinese side were ready to agree to allow the Airport Authority and the Airport Railway to take out loans in excess of that agreed in the MOU if the Government agreed to increase its capital injection to a certain level. The main obstacle now was over land allocation. British sources were quoted as saying the differences were narrowing and should be resolved soon if the Chinese side took a more flexible approach. The HK Economic Times quoted Sun Yenheng of the Land Commission as saying Land allocation for the airport should be handled according to the JD.

Government Information Officers

13. Many papers reported (24.9) a delegation of representatives of the Association of Government Information Officers quoted HKMAO officer Chen Guangming as saying the BL guaranteed the freedom of the press in HK after 1997. GIS would continue to serve the SARG while news on Chinese central policies and publicity work would still be released through the NCNA HK Branch. Chen said information officers who were foreign nationals residing in HK could continue to work in the department in accordance to the BL.

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