UNCLASSIFIED
174161
4
MDHIAN
GOVERNOR'S VISIT TO LONDON
9. QUOTING OFFICIAL SOURCES IN LONDON, SCMP REPORTED ON 20 JUNE THAT BRITISH MINISTERS WERE QUOTE LEANING TOWARDS A WATERING DOWN OF THE GOVERNOR'S POLITICAL REFORM PROPOSALS TO SECURE A DEAL WITH THE CHINESE, ON THE UNDERSTANDING THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE AGREEMENT ON FINANCING THE AIRPORT UNQUOTE. OFFICIAL SOURCES WERE SAID TO HAVE PRIVATELY CONCEDED ON SOME OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS, NAMELY THE NEW FCS, ALTHOUGH THAT HAD NOT BEEN FORMALLY DONE AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.
10. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THAT CURRENT DEADLOCK IN THE TALKS WAS ATTRIBUTABLE TO CHINA'S INSISTENCE THAT ELECTORAL ISSUES SHOULD BE SETTLED ONE AT A TIME. A BONE OF CONTENTION WAS THE PROPOSED ABOLITION OF APPOINTED SEATS IN THE DBS. CHINA INSISTED THAT 25 PERCENT OF THE APPOINTED SEATS SHOULD REMAIN. THE OFFICIAL SOURCES SAID THAT BRITAIN DID NOT RULE OUT GIVING WAY ON THIS POINT, BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO CONCEDE SO LONG AS CHINA REFUSED TO MAKE CONCESSIONS ON OTHER ELECTORAL ISSUES. IN ITS EDITORIAL ON 20 JUNE, SCMP SAID THAT RATHER THAN SETTING A DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS, THE GOVERNOR SHOULD SET A CUT-OFF DATE FOR CONFIDENTIALITY SO THAT HK PEOPLE COULD DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER THEY WOULD LIKE THE NEGOTIATIONS TO CONTINUE.
MEETING POINT
11. SEVERAL PAPERS REPORTED THAT A DELEGATION OF THE MEETING POINT INCLUDING ITS CHAIRMAN CHEUNG BING-LEUNG, LEGISLATORS DR C.H. LEUNG, TIK CHI-YUEN AND FRED LI WOULD VISIT PEKING ON 24 JUNE.
PATTEN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
65
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
DISTRIBUTION
72
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
PAGE
L
UNCLASSIFIED