}
UNCLASSIFIED
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 949
OF 101035Z JUNE 93
R
TOP CORY Q DIST?
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Pa
146251
MDHIAN 4318
HKB 301/2
15 JUN 1993
37
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT : PRESS REPORTS
TALKS
1. REMARKS MADE BY LU PING TODAY TO THE VISITING HK UNITED YOUTH LU ASSOCIATION WERE GIVEN EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL PRESS. SAID THAT THE BRITISH SIDE'S PETTY TRICKS WOULD DEFINITELY POSE OBSTACLES TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS. IN PARTICULAR, HE CRITICISED MR GOODLAD'S REMARKS AS QUOTE UNREASONABLE AND DEVOID OF COMMON SENSE UNQUOTE. HE SAID THAT IF SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENTS COULD BE OVERTURNED BY LEGCO, THEN IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME TO HOLD THE CURRENT TALKS.
2.
LU PING SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE AGREED TO THE ANNUAL LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME, THE THREE FRANCHISES AND THE RESUMPTION OF AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING OUT OF CONSIDERATION FOR HK'S LONG-TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD NOT MISINTERPRET THESE AS CONCESSIONS BY THE CHINESE SIDE AND COME TO THE WRONG CONCLUSION THAT THEY COULD PUT FURTHER PRESSURE ON CHINA.
3. LU NONETHELESS REITERATED THAT CHINA ADOPTED A SINCERE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE ON-GOING TALKS, AND URGED THE BRITISH SIDE TO DO THE SAME. HE STRESSED THAT THE TWO SIDES HAD TO BUILD UP MUTUAL TRUST BEFORE A SATISFACTORY AGREEMENT COULD BE REACHED AND IMPLEMENTED.
4. UPON ENQUIRY FROM THE VISITING YOUTH ORGANISATION, LU PING SAID THAT HK PEOPLE SHOULD ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN PREPARATORY WORK FOR THE TRANSITION, INCLUDING THOSE RELATED TO THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT A GOOD FOUNDATION WAS BUILT UP TO PREPARE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AFTER 1997 THE PRINCIPLES OF 'HK PEOPLE ADMINISTERING HK' AND ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS''. IT WAS FOR THIS REASON THAT THE EIGHT NPC PASSED THE DECISION TO FORM A WORK ORGAN, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE HK PARTICIPANTS, TO PREPARE FOR THE SETTING UP OF THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE.
1
PAGE UNCLASSIFIED