Patten bends rules in bid to meet Lu

THE Governor, Chris Patten, made a last-ditch attempt yesterday to secure a meeting with visiting Hong Kong affairs chief Lu Ping, as Beijing announced that high-level talks on airport funding would begin within weeks.

Mr Patten said he was prepared to receive Mr Lu - who arrives in Hong Kong tonight - in his capacity as a representative of the Preliminary Working Committee (PWC), despite a government ban on official contacts with the Beijing-appointed body.

''That would create no difficulties for me,'' Mr Patten said, in response to a question from the Sunday Morning Post.

''It doesn't matter what hat he wears, whether it's head of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office or Secretary-General of the PWC, the important thing is there is a long agenda of issues and the people of Hong Kong expect us to get on and find solutions.'' The comments came as the Chinese Joint Liaison Group team leader Guo Fengmin revealed that contacts were under way to fix a date for a meeting of the Airport Committee, which has not convened since August.

Mr Guo was ''optimistic'' about making progress.

''We are prepared to hold the Airport Committee meeting in a few weeks' time, but we have to discuss the exact date with the British,'' he said. ''There is still a gap between the two sides but there has already been some progress.'' It will be the first opportunity for the committee to discuss the fresh financing package for the Chek Lap Kok project that the Government put forward in January. The Chinese side has raised no major objections to the plan.

Mr Patten's offer to meet Mr Lu was last night welcomed by advisers to Beijing, who warned that China could undermine its position by continuing to snub Mr Patten.