UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 301/1
RECE
02 Jul 1993
ISTRY
(109)
007672
MDHIAN 6431
fa medici
TOP COPY
FM HONG KONG
DESK U
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
TELNO 1034
Q DIST?
OF 251109Z JUNE 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS: 24 AND 25 JUNE
TALKS
1.
THE PAPERS GAVE GOOD COVERAGE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND DAYS OF THE SIXTH ROUND OF THE TALKS ON 94/95 ELECTIONS. SOME PAPERS NOTED THAT JIANG DID NOT ANSWER DIRECTLY A QUESTION ABOUT SINCERITY AND DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE COMING CABINET MEETING. SIR ROBIN WAS REPORTED AS SAYING AFTER THE SECOND DAY THAT THE TALKS HAD BEEN CONDUCTED IN A NORMAL MANNER, AND THAT SOME SLOW PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE.
2. WEN WEI PO (24.6) SAID THAT IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR PUBLISHED IN THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (23.6), THE GOVERNOR HAD CONFIRMED RECENT MEDIA REPORTS THAT IN ADDITION TO THROUGH TRAIN, PREPARATORY COMMITTEE, AND UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IN 2007, THE BRITISH HAD MADE A FOURTH REQUEST IN THE TALKS, I.E. IF THE TWO SIDES REACHED AGREEMENT ON HOW TO FORM THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE FOR THE FIRST CHIEF EXECUTIVE SHOULD BE FORMED
ACCORDINGLY.
3.
THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES (25.6) REPORTED THAT VARIOUS POLITICAL GROUPS IN LEGCO DID NOT THINK THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD WITHDRAW FROM THE TALKS IF THERE WERE NO THROUGH TRAIN. ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY THOUGHT THROUGH TRAIN WAS THE NECESSARY CONDITION FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION.
4.
SEVERAL PAPERS (25.6) QUOTED A REPORT IN FINANCIAL TIMES (24.6) THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT HAD SET EARLY OCTOBER AS THE DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS. THE REPORT SAID IF BY THEN THERE WAS NO AGREEMENT, BRITAIN WOULD TERMINATE THE TALKS AND UNILATERALLY IMPLEMENT THE
GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE.
5. MANY PAPERS (25.6) NOTED THAT AT A REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING ON 24 JUNE, WHEN ASKED ABOUT WEN WEI PO'S DISCLOSURE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS, AN MFA SPOKESWOMEN FAN HINJUAN SAID THAT CHINA HAD BEEN ABIDING BY THE CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT.
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