UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 510
HKB
UNCLASSIFIED
012/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
01 APR 1993
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
OF 310749Z MARCH 93
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, LUKREP JEG HONG KONG
pa (99
125775 MDLIAN 4004
TOP COPY Q DIST?
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS
INTRODUCTION OF ELECTORAL BILL
1. TODAY'S PAPERS WIDELY REPORTED REMARKS BY NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHENG GUOXIONG YESTERDAY ON EXCO DISCUSSION ON WHEN TO INTRODUCE THE ELECTORAL BILL INTO LEGCO. ZHENG SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR WAS AGAIN PLAYING A POLITICAL TRICK AND TRYING TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE SIDE, SIMILAR TO WHAT HE HAD DONE BEFORE GAZETTING THE BILL. HE SAID SUCH A TRICK WAS MEANT TO FOOL HONG KONG PEOPLE. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD DEFINITELY NOT ACCEPT IT.
2. ZHENG ADDED THAT THE, GOVERNOR SHOULD NOT REPEATEDLY DAMAGE THE BASIS FOR TALKS. HE SHOULD RETURN TO THE STARTING POINT BEFORE PUTTING FORWARD HIS PACKAGE.
3.
NCNA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AND NPC DEPUTY LEE WEI-TING ALSO SAID YESTERDAY THAT IF THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO AFTER EASTER, IT WOULD PROVE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD AGAIN DISREGARDED THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND CLOSED FOR THE THIRD TIME THE DOOR OF SINO-BRITISH CO-OPERATION. THE BRITISH SIDE HAD TO REALISE THE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES FOR DOING SO.
4.
LEE SAID HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS MEANT BY ''SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS'' IN OUR PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED AFTER THE EXCO MEETING. IT WAS FUTILE TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE. THE CHINESE STILL HOPED TO HAVE TALKS. YET THE GOVERNOR HAD TO GIVE UP HIS PACKAGE.
5. MARTIN LEE (UDHK) AND CHRISTINE LOH (INDEPENDENT) EXPRESSED DISAPPOINTMENT WITH EXCO'S DECISION. LEE SAID HKG SHOULD GIVE AN EXPLANATION WHILE LOH SAID THE BILL SHOULD BE TABLED AT END OF APRIL AT THE LATEST. ALLEN LEE AND STEPHEN CHEONG (BOTH CRC) AND SAMUEL WONG CINDEPENDENT) SUPPORTED THE DELAY, SAYING THAT IT WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO TALKS. FRED LI (MEETING POINT) BELIEVED THAT IF THE INTRODUCTION WAS DELAYED UNTIL AFTER APRIL, THERE WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH TIME FOR LEGCO TO CONSIDER THE BILL. TAM
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