UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2876
OF 100944Z DECEMBER 92
UNCLASSIFIED
HKC 012/4
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
chundre rectiv
138
152534
MDLIAN 1162
PRO-CHINESE COMMENTS ON CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997: PRESS REPORTS
+
1. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF HONG KONG (DAB), TSANG YOK-SING, WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID YESTERDAY (9 DECEMBER) THAT DURING DAB'S FORTHCOMING VISIT TO PEKING THEY WOULD URGE THE CHINESE SIDE TO SET UP SOME FORM OF MECHANISM TO HANDLE ISSUES STRADDLING 1997. TSANG SAID THAT SUCH A MECHANISM MUST BE AUTHORITATIVE, AND WITH THE PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. ITS TASK WOULD BE TO EXAMINE THOSE ISSUES WHICH DID NOT HAVE THE CO-OPERATION OF THE BRITISH SIDE, INCLUDING FRANCHISES AND LEASES. HE ALSO SUGGESTED A CONSULTATIVE BODY BE SET UP UNDER THE MECHANISM AS A CHANNEL FOR THE ELECTIONS OF THE FIRST SAR LEGISLATURE. TSANG SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE MECHANISM WOULD BECOME A SHADOW GOVERNMENT. NOR WOULD IT HAMPER HKG'S ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY. SUCH A MECHANISM WOULD, IN HIS VIEW, BOOST THE CONFIDENCE OF HONG KONG PEOPLE.
2. IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, CHAIRMAN OF CHINA RESOURCES, SHEN JUEREN (FORMER VICE MINISTER OF MOFERT), WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT IT WAS ONLY PROPER FOR GUO TO ISSUE HIS STATEMENT ON CT9, WHICH INVOLVED OPERATION RIGHTS BEYOND 1997. CHINA RESOURCES WOULD FOLLOW THE REQUIREMENTS AND WOULD MAKE ITS APPLICATION TO WHEREVER IT SHOULD BE MADE'. SHEN SAID THAT AS CT9 INVOLVED ISSUES AFTER 1997, THE APPLICATION SHOULD BE MADE TO THE CHINESE SIDE AS REQUIRED. CHINA RESOURCES WERE THEREFORE PREPARED TO APPLY TO THE CHINESE SIDE FOR ITEMS IN THE CT9 PROJECT IN WHICH THE COMPANY WOULD INVEST: BUT THEY HAD NOT THOUGHT ABOUT WITHDRAWING FROM THE PROJECT.
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