UNCLASSIFIED
MDHI
173561
7873
PLAYING TRICKS BEFORE THE TALKS STARTED AND MAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS CONTRADICTING THE PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE OPENING OF TALKS. THESE WERE ATTEMPTS TO CREATE OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS. ZHANG SAID THAT CLEAR PROVISIONS HAD BEEN MADE FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN. IF THE GOVERNOR WAS TO TRY TO PLAY TRICKS ON THIS, IT WOULD JUST SHOW THAT HE WAS AGAIN TRYING TO POSE OBSTACLES TO THE PRINCIPLE OF CONVERGENCE WITH THE BL AND THAT HE HAD NO SINCERITY IN RETURNING TO THE BASIS OF THE THREE COMPLIANCES.
5. ON UDHK'S RECENT REQUEST TO MEET ZHOU NAN, ZHANG SAID THAT IT WAS CLEAR TO ALL THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF UDHK LEADERS WERE OPPOSED TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND BL. THERE WAS NO POINT FOR NCNA TO MEET THEM BEFORE THEY CHANGED THEIR STANCE TOTALLY.
LEFT-WING COMMENTARIES
6. WEN WEI PO GAVE PROMINENT COVERAGE TO A COMMENTARY WHICH RECALLED THAT DURING THE TALKS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE, THE BRITISH HAD AT FIRST INSISTED ON THE VALIDITY OF THE THREE TREATIES AND THAT CHINA SHOULD RESUME SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG IN EXCHANGE FOR BRITAIN THE ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS OVER THE TERRITORY. IT WAS ONLY WHEN THE BRITISH GAVE UP THIS STANCE THAT THE TALKS YIELDED GOOD RESULTS. THE BRITISH WERE NOW RESORTING TO THEIR OLD TACTICS AND HAD INSISTED THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE WAS VALID. SUCH A STANCE WAS IN EFFECT A RESURRECTION OF THE PREVIOUS ARGUMENTS OF THE BRITISH. THE COMMENTARY SAID 'THE STRUGGLE TODAY WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE BATTLE YESTERDAY AND THE CRUX OF THE PROBLEM WAS SOVEREIGNTY.' HOWEVER, THERE WAS NOT ROOM FOR DISCUSSION ON SOVEREIGNTY. CHINA HAD REFUSED TO TALK ON THIS SUBJECT IN THE PAST AND WOULD NOT DISCUSS THE ISSUE TODAY. ONLY WHEN THE BRITISH ARGUMENT ON THE VALIDITY OF THE PATTEN PACKAGE WAS NEGATED COULD THE COMING TALKS BRING GOOD RESULTS.
7 TA KUNG PAO'S EDITORIAL SAID THAT THE TALKS WOULD BE A TEST ON WHETHER THE BRITISH WERE WILLING TO HONOUR THEIR PLEDGES. THE PAPER REFERRED TO ITS SUPPLEMENT TODAY EXTRACTING CRITICISMS OF THE PATTEN PACKAGE IN THE UK. IT SAID THE 'THREE VIOLATIONS' PACKAGE SHOULD NOT BE BROUGHT UP DURING THE TALKS. IF THE BRITISH SUED THE PACKAGE AS ITS OPENING POSITION, THEN THE TALKS WOULD NOT YIELD ANY FRUIT, MUCH TO THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF HK PEOPLE.
PATTEN
YYYY
2
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UNCLASSIFIED