THE Provisional Airport Authority and construction contractors have ended their row over contract conditions which has delayed work by more than a month.
In a breakthrough after nearly five hours of talks, negotiators agreed to the setting up of an independent disputes resolution panel to settle claims as they arose.
This was the most contentious issue. The two sides agreed on changes to four other key contract conditions last week.
The Hong Kong Construction Association had called the original conditions ''onerous beyond belief'' and said any firm which accepted them would easily face bankruptcy.
Association representatives will meet 26 contractors this morning to recommend they accept the proposal.
These are the firms most directly affected by the dispute because they have been shortlisted for four advance works contracts that have been delayed for weeks by a contractors' boycott.