CONFIDENTIAL

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IN

ISTRY

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

24 JUN

CESK OFFICER

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

TELNO 994

OF 211013Z JUNE 93.

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TOP COPY Q DIST?

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS

1. A COMMENTARY IN THE SATURDAY (19 JUNE) ISSUE OF WEN WEI PO

LASHED OUT AT THE LACK OF SINCERITY OF THE BRITISH SIDE TOWARDS THE TALKS. IT ACCUSED THE BRITISH SIDE OF DEVIATING FROM THE THEME OF

THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS BY RAISING MATTERS CONCERNED WITH CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY, NAMELY THE QUESTION OF THE THROUGH TRAIN AND PARTICIPATION IN THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE. THE BRITISH SIDE

HAD ALSO ASKED FOR A FULLY ELECTED LEGISLATURE BY THE YEAR 2007.

2"

MANY PAPERS REPORTED TODAY THAT AN ASSISTANT TO NCNA DIRECTOR CHEN FENGYING DECLINED TO COMMENT ON GROUNDS OF CONFIDENTIALITY, THE CONTENT OF BRITISH PROPOSALS AS REFERRED TO IN THE WEN WEI PO COMMENTARY. SHE SAID THAT THE SETTING UP OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE WAS A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE SIDE.

3.

A CHINA NEWS AGENCY COMMENTARY ISSUED ON 20 JUNE ALSO PICKED ON

THE THEME OF SINCERITY. THE COMMENTARY ATTRIBUTED THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE PAST FIVE ROUNDS AND THE WIDENING GAP BETWEEN THE

TWO SIDES ON CERTAIN ISSUES TO THE BRITISH SIDE'S CONTINUED

INSISTENCE ON THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS. THE WRITER

CRITICISED BRITAIN FOR DISREGARDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS: PAYING LIP SERVICE TO THE ''THREE CONFORMITIES'': AND GIVING MISLEADING STATEMENTS THAT THE TALKS WERE PROGRESSING WELL WITH THE

BRITISH SIDE MAKING POSITIVE MOVES. THE COMMENTARY LISTED A SERIES

OF BRITISH ACTIONS WHICH IT CLAIMED TO HAVE POSED OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS AND DEMONSTRATED INSINCERITY: THE THREE PETTY TRICKS'' THE

MERGER OF THE YAU TSIM AND MONGKOK DBS AND STATEMENT BY FCO LOCAL

SPOKESMAN THAT THE 1990 EXCHANGE OF DIPLOMATIC LETTERS DID NOT

CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT.

COMMENT

OF

CONFIDENCE IN

COMMITTEE HAS

THE WWP EDITORIAL APPEARS TO BE A BREACH DISCLOSING TWO OF OUR THREE DEMANDS OTHER THAN THE ''THROUGH TRAINI ALTHOUGH OUR POINT ON THE PREPARATORY

4.

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CONFIDENTIAL

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