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(MOU) handed
to them on 3 November.
extremely
difficult,
first-stage
It would be
however, to justify a
agreement other than on the terms set
out in the MOU.
The Governor added that
Ministers were concerned about the wide gaps
which still existed with regard to the Election
Committee (EC), the FCs and the through train.
They felt there was perhaps a little room for
manoeuvre on the EC but did not see how further
concessions could be made vis-a-vis the FCs or
the through train.
3.
The Governor
then informed the Council
that Ministers
had
thought it in order to
underline the urgency of the situation and the
need to intensify the pace of the discussions.
Accordingly
the Prime Minister had sent a message
in this regard to LI Peng (a copy of which had
been made available to Members that morning).
The Governor said Ministers were disposed to give
some benefit of the doubt to the Chinese
vis-à-vis their sincerity to conclude a deal (as
opposed to the possibility that they were merely
stringing the talks out) but he felt that they
were unlikely to retain this view if a further
two rounds of talks produced no movement towards
a first-stage agreement.