UNCLASSIFIED
FM PEKING
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 011/Z
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
O JUN 1993
0
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
PA
Action
a. Election's
ри
111201
MDHIAN 2480
32
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
INDEX
TELNO 025
OF 270831Z MAY 93
INFO IMMEDIATE FCO
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MFA PRESS CONFERENCE: HONG KONG BOUNDARIES AND ELECTION COMMISSION
(BEC)
SUMMARY
1. MFA SPOKESMAN COMMENTS ON BEC BILL.
DETAIL
2.
AT THE MFA PRESS CONFERENCE ON 27 MAY, SPOKESMAN WU JIANMIN MADE AN UNPROMPTED STATEMENT ON THE SUBMISSION OF THE BEC BILL TO
LEGCO. HE SAID THE CHINESE SIDE EXPRESSED SURPRISE THAT THE BILL HAD BEEN ''SUBMITTED'' AT A TIME WHEN TALKS WERE BEING HELD BETWEEN
BRITAIN AND CHINA ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/5. BRITAIN
SHOULD NOT INTRODUCE ANY LEGISLATION UNILATERALLY ON MATTERS CONCERNING THESE ELECTIONS WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION AND CONSENSUS. BRITAIN SHOULD ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN THE
JOINT DECLARATION ETC AND NOT CREATE NEW OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS.
3=
ASKED WHETHER THE BEC BILL WOULD AFFECT THE FOURTH ROUND OF TALKS, AND WHETHER OR NOT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD PROTESTED TO THE BRITISH SIDE, WU SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD STATED ITS POSITION TO THE BRITISH SIDE.
4.
OTHER COMMENT ON HONG KONG WAS LIMITED TO STANDARD EXPRESSIONS
OF CHINESE SINCERITY OVER THE TALKS AND A REFUSAL TO COMMENT ON
THEIR CONTENT. WU ALSO MADE CLEAR THAT SIR PERCY CRADOCK'S VISIT WAS NOT LINKED TO, AND WOULD NOT AFFECT, THE TALKS.
MCLAREN
YYYY
1
PAGE UNCLASSIFIED