TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 91

UNCLASSIFIED

023304

MDLIAN 5162

NOT EXIST.

AIRPORT

30. MING PAO (3.9) QUOTED A PERSON WITH DIRECT UNDERSTANDING OF THE AIRPORT TALKS AS SAYING THE MINISTERIAL MEETING AT THE END OF THE MONTH WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR RESOLVING THE YEAR-LONG DISPUTE OVER THE AIRPORT FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS. THE BRITISH SIDE WERE CONSIDERING GIVING WAY ON THE AMOUNT OF CAPITAL INJECTION ON CONDITION THAT THE CHINESE SIDE AGREED NOT TO INCLUDE THE LAND DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE AIRPORT RAILWAY AS PART OF THE 50 - HECTARE ANNUAL LAND QUOTA AS PROVIDED IN THE JD. THE PERSON IN THE KNOW WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE TWO SIDES WERE PREPARING TO HOLD ANOTHER AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING BEFORE THE MINISTERIAL MEETING.

31. CHINESE OFFICIALS HAD EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE AIRPORT ISSUE WOULD SOON BE RESOLVED. NCNA HK HEAD ZHOU NAN SAID HOWEVER THE PROBLEM DID NOT REST WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AND IT WAS VITAL TO RETURN TO THE PATH OF THE AIRPORT MOU. CHINESE MEMBER OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE HU HOUCHENG SAID IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE ISSUE COULD BE RESOLVED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR. LU PING SAID IT TOOK EFFORTS FROM BOTH SIDES TO RESOLVE THE MATTER.

LADY THATCHER

32. SCMP NOTED (2.9) LADY THATCHER IN A SPEECH GIVEN IN SINGAPORE

SAID IF HK WAS A FREEHOLD TERRITORY AND NOT ONE WITH MOST OF ITS LAND LEASED FROM CHINA, BRITAIN WOULD HAVE GIVEN HK INDEPENDENCE. SHE WAS QUOTED AS SAYING A LEASE WAS A TREATY AND AN INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATION. CHINA WOULD NOT RENEW THE LEASE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AN ACT OF SOVEREIGNTY, BUT INSISTED ON CARRYING OUT THE TERMS OF THE LEASE AND THE TREATY. AS BRITAIN KEPT THEIR TREATIES IT HAD NO ALTERNATIVE.

PATTEN

YYYY

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