UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1078
OF 021034Z JULY 93
UNCLASSIFIED
HKB 301/2
RECEIVED JÁN MEGISTRY
07 JUL 1993
INDER
PA
REGISTRY Action
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
P.3. Press Ronalyn
026074 MDHIAN 7394
TOP COPY Q DIST?
54
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS (2 JULY 1993)
CABINET MEETING
1
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THE LOCAL PRESS WIDELY REPORTED S OF S AS SAYING AFTER THE CABINET MEETING THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT FULLY SUPPORTED THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS AND THE WAY SIR ROBIN MCLAREN HAD BEEN HANDLING THE TALKS. S OF S ALSO STRESSED THAT CABINET MEMBERS ATTACHED GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE CONCEPT OF THE THROUGH TRAIN. BOTH S OF S AND THE GOVERNOR WERE QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT WISH TO SET A DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS: BUT TIME WAS NOT INFINITE. IF THE TWO SIDES FAILED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT, HKG WOULD UNILATERALLY TABLE THE REFORM BILLS IN LEGCO.
2. HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED HKG SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE TWO SIDES HAD AGREED THAT THE TALKS SHOULD BE AD JOURNED IN AUGUST TO BE RESUMED IN SEPTEMBER. THE SOURCES HOWEVER ADDED THAT EXPERTS OF THE TWO SIDES COULD MEET TO HAVE IN-DEPTH DISCUSSIONS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN AUGUST IF NECESSARY. ACCORDING TO THE PAPER, THE CABINET HAD DECIDED ON A NEW TIMETABLE FOR THE TALKS: THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD STRIVE TO REACH A DEAL BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S LEGCO ADDRESS ON 6 OCTOBER, AND IF AN AGREEMENT WAS NOT REACHED BY THEN, HKG WOULD TABLE THE ELECTORAL BILLS IN LEGCO ON 13 OCTOBER. THE PAPER ALSO LEARNT THAT THE SIXTH AND SEVENTH ROUNDS WOULD FOCUS ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE FC, WHILST THE THROUGH TRAIN WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE EIGHT ROUND. THE BRITISH SIDE'S INTENTION WAS TO PUT UP A PACKAGE OF COUNTER-PROPOSAL AFTER THE CHINESE SIDE HAD MADE CLEAR THEIR POSITIONS ON SPECIFIC ISSUES AT THE EIGHT ROUND FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION IN SEPTEMBER.
3. ON THE CABINET MEETING, MFA SPOKESMAN FAN HUIJUAN SAID THAT THIS WAS AN INTERNAL MATTER FOR THE BRITISH SIDE. SHE REITERATED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WERE SINCERE ABOUT THE TALKS AND URGED THE BRITISH SIDE TO STOP ALL ACTIONS WHICH WOULD DAMAGE THE SINO- BRITISH TALKS. NCNA VICE-DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG WAS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE SIDE DID NOT WANT THE TALKS TO GO ON