UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 301/2
SCISTRY
p.s. Ronadyn
061271 MDHIAN 8982
RES
1
L 1993
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1156
TOP COPY
OF 151055Z JULY 93
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Q DIST?
63
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS (15 JULY 1993)
TALKS
1. THE PAPERS REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE THE FAC HEARING HELD
YESTERDAY. MR GOODLAD WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT PROGRESS WAS SLOW AT THE SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS BUT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE COMMITTED TO PRESSING AHEAD WITH THE TALKS AND NO DEADLINE WAS SET. SING TAO DAILY REPORTED S OF S AS TELLING THE PARLIAMENT THAT HE
HAD URGED THE CHINESE SIDE TO SPEED UP PROGRESS AT THE TALKS AND
HAD STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WERE OPEN, FAIR AND ACCEPTABLE TO HK PEOPLE. FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS WOULD CONCENTRATE ON THE FCS, THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE THROUGH TRAIN.
2. THE VISITING HKMAO VICE-DIRECTOR WANG QIREN HAD AN INTERVIEW
WITH THE CNS YESTERDAY BEFORE RETURNING TO PEKING. ON THE SINO-
BRITISH TALKS, WANG SAID THE FIRST PART HAD BEEN DIFFICULT. HE REITERATED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WERE SINCERE TOWARDS THE TALKS AND HOPED TO SEE EARLY PROGRESS.
3. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL LEARNT THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD ASK
THE CHINESE SIDE TO GIVE MORE TANGIBLE CRITERIA FOR THE 'THROUGH
TRAIN' AT THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS. THE PAPER HOWEVER QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD ONLY CONSIDER SUGGESTING TO THE NPC/SC TO COME UP WITH SOME CRITERIA BEFORE THE 1995 ELECTIONS. SUCH CRITERIA WOULD MOREOVER NOT BE TOO DETAILED, NOR WOULD THEY BE INCLUDED IN ANY AGREEMENT THAT MIGHT BE REACHED BETWEEN THE BOTH SIDES IN THE TALKS AS SOVEREIGNTY WAS AT ISSUE. SEPARATELY, THE UNITED DAILY QUOTED AN EXCO MEMBER AS DESCRIBING FUTURE TALKS AS BEING VERY DIFFICULT' AS THERE WERE STILL MUCH DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.
4. QUOTING INFORMED SOURCES, SCMP REPORTED THAT CHINA WOULD AGREE TO INTRODUCE MORE ELECTED ELEMENTS IN THE ELECTION COMMITTEE PROVIDED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE ACCEPT THAT THE COMMITTEE SHOULD BE
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