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HKB
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RECEIP PISTRY
DESK
FM HONG KONG
INDEX
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1044
OF 26053OZ JUNE 93
01 JUL 1993
REGISTRY
PA
Action Taken
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
pa. Puss Roundups
011102
MDHIAN 6557
47
TOP COPY Q DIST ?/
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS.
TALKS.
1.
THE PAPERS HAVE GOOD COVERAGE TO THE CONCLUSION OF THE SIXTH ROUND OF THE TALKS ON 94/95 ELECTIONS. SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WAS REPORTED AS SAYING THAT A LITTLE PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE, BUT THERE WAS STILL QUITE A WAY TO GO. WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE BRITISH SIDE HAD DEMANDED UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IN 2007, SIR ROBIN SAID THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD NOT RAISE MATTERS UNRELATED TO 1994/95 ELECTION ARRANGEMENTS. HE ALSO REFUSED TO COMMENT ON HOW LONG THE TALKS WOULD TAKE, AND PROGRESS OF DISCUSSION OF THE THROUGH TRAIN.
2"
SEPARATELY, AND OFFICIAL OF HKMAO/STATE COUNCIL, ZHENG WEIRONG WAS REPORTED AS SAYING THAT THOSE WHO DEMANDED UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE IN 2007 DID NOT KNOW THE BASIC LAW, WHICH PROVIDED THAT THE METHOD FOR FORMING THE LEGISLATURE IN 2007 SHOULD BE DETERMINED BY HONG KONG PEOPLE. AS FOR BRITISH SIDE'S PARTICIPATION IN THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE, SUCH A DEMAND WOULD BE OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE TALKS. IF THE BRITISH SIDE HAD MADE THE DEMAND, THEY WOULD BE INTERFERING IN THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF CHINA. ZHENG HOWEVER WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT CHINA WOULD SEEK THE VIEWS OF THE BRITISH SIDE THROUGH INFORMAL CHANNELS ON THE SETTING UP OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE, SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS DONE DURING THE DRAFTING OF THE BL.
LEAKAGE OF THE TALKS.
3
WEN WEI PAO CONTINUED WITH ITS ATTEMPT TO PUT THE
RESPONSIBILITY ON THE BRITISH SIDE FOR FIRST LEAKING THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS. THE PAPER ACCUSED THE GOVERNOR FOR DISCLOSING IN HIS INTERVIEW WITH THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL ON 21 JUNE THE FOUR DEMANDS MADE BY THE BRITISH SIDE AT THE NEGOTIATION TABLE. IT ALSO CITED VARIOUS EARLIER REPORTS IN OTHER PAPERS WHICH DISCLOSED DETAILS OF THE TALKS PROVIDED BY BRITISH SOURCES OR
'SOURCES CLOSE TO EXCO'.
1
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