HKB 301/2
RECE
UNCLASSIFIED
GISTRY
2 MAL 1048
UNCLASSIFIED
SK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 835
pa. Puss Kowadays
100740
MDLIAN 4841
OF 241035Z MAY 93
TOP COPY Q DIST?
INFO ROUTINE HKGOL LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA
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PART ONE OF TWO PARTS
HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (11.5 24.5).
SUMMARY.
1.
SPECULATION CONTINUED ON THE CONTENT OF THE THIRD ROUND OF SINO-BRITISH TALKS: ITS CONCLUSION AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE FOURTH ROUND FEATURED. THE CONCLUSION OF THE LAND COMMISSION MEETING WAS ALSO PROMINENTLY REPORTED.
SINO-BRITISH TALKS.
2 =
QUOTING CCP SOURCES IN PEKING (13.5) UNITED DAILY NEWS REPORTED IN A RECENT BRIEFING, THE SENIOR FIGURES OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY REITERATED THEIR OFFICIAL STAND ON THE POLITICAL ROW AND ASKED RELEVANT DEPARTMENT TO TOE THE SAME LINE IN MAKING
PUBLIC COMMENTS.
3.
THE CHINESE POSITION WAS THAT THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES HAD TO CONDUCT THEIR NEGOTIATIONS AND CO-OPERATION IN THE LATTER PART OF THE TRANSITION ON THE BASIS OF THE JD AND PREVIOUS UNDERSTANDINGS AND AGREEMENTS SO AS TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION. THE KEY WOULD NOW BE FOR THE BRITISH SIDE TO GIVE UP THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE AND RETURN TO THE THREE COMPLIANCES. THE HONG KONG QUESTION WAS A MATTER BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN. NO THIRD PARTY SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN IT.
4.
HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL (14.5) QUOTED AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES IN LONDON'S DIPLOMATIC CIRCLES AS SAYING THAT THE EXTENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND DIFFICULTY IN THE CURRENT TALKS WAS RARELY SEEN IN BRITISH DIPLOMATIC HISTORY. NO HEADWAY HAD BEEN MADE DURING THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS OF THE TALKS AND IT WAS DOUBTFUL IF THE THIRD ROUND COULD YIELD ANY RESULT.
1
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