UNCLASSIFIED
106400
MDHIAN 2 6
FC SEATS.
6.
ANOTHER REPORT IN SING TAO QUOTED AN MFA OFFICIAL AS SAYING THAT THE TALKS WERE MAKING PROGRESS. THE REPORT SPECULATED THAT AS SEEN FROM THE PRESENT SITUATION, IT WOULD NOT BE DIFFICULT FOR THE TWO SIDES TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE DETAILED ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS, I.E. ON THE FRAMEWORK OF THE THROUGH TRAIN. THE REPORT WENT ON TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
(I)
ON THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS, BOTH SIDES HAD REACHED AGREEMENT IN 1990. WHAT NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED NOW WERE DEMARCATION OF CONSTITUENCIES AND METHOD OF ELECTION.
(II)
ON FC'S BOTH SIDES WOULD NEED TO SETTLE THEIR DIFFERENCES IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURE OF FC'S AND IN HOW EACH FC WOULD ELECT THEIR MEMBERS.
(III) ON THE EC, THE DISPUTE LIED IN HOW TO ELECT THE EC MEMBERS AND HOW THE 10 LEGCO MEMBERS WOULD BE RETURNED, INCLUDING THE NOMINATION PROCEDURES.
(IV) WHETHER THE 1995 EC WOULD, IN ADDITION TO ELECTING 10 LEGCO MEMBERS, HAVE THE FUNCTION OF ELECTING THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
7. THE REPORT ALSO QUOTED A CHINESE SOURCE AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE WERE UNLIKELY TO AGREE THAT THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FOR LEGCO COULD ALSO BE THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE CE. THEY WOULD NEVERTHELESS AGREE THAT THE 800 MEMBERS OF THE EC COULD BE ELECTED ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRACY AND OPENNESS: AND THE BRITISH WOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE NOMINATIONS. (COPIES OF BOTH SING TAO REPORTS FOLLOW BY FAX TO HKD AND PEKING).
8.
WAH KIU YAT PO QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES IN PEKING AS SAYING THAT THERE WAS STILL NOT MUCH PROGRESS IN THE TALKS. THE SOURCES NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE THROUGH TRAIN, THEY HAD STRESSED THAT ANY DISCUSSION HAD TO BE BASED ON THE BL.
9.
SING PAO ALSO QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NO INTENTION TO DRAG ON WITH THE TALKS, BUT BECAUSE THE ISSUES WERE VERY COMPLICATED, BOTH SIDES WOULD REQUIRE MORE TIME. THE CHINESE SIDE EXPECTED THAT CONCRETE RESULTS WOULD ONLY BE ACHIEVED TOWARDS THE ENDS OF THIS YEAR. ATV
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UNCLASSIFIED