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151032 MDLIAN $232
VERY IMPORTANT TO HK BECAUSE THIS WOULD GIVE PROTECTION TO INVESTORS.
12.
MOST PAPERS (8.4) CARRIED REMARKS BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE IN AN INTERVIEW WITH REUTERS. THE PAPERS PLAYED UP HIS DENIAL THAT HE WAS ASKING JAPAN TO ACT AS AN INTERMEDIARY IN THE SINO- BRITISH ROW AND THAT HE JUST WANTED JAPAN TO UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS.
TIMING FOR INTRODUCTION OF THE REFORM BILL
13.
THE EXPRESS (6.4) QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT 12 MAY WOULD BE A BETTER DATE FOR INTRODUCING THE BILL TO LEGCO. IT UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GOVERNMENT HOPED THAT THE DELAY WOULD DEMONSTRATE SINCERITY TO THE CHINESE SIDE AND WOULD ALSO GIVE THE GOVERNOR TIME TO CONSULT EXCO AND ASSESS THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.
14.
MANY PAPERS (7.4) QUOTED BARONESS DUNN AS SAYING THAT EXCO WOULD BE CONSIDERING AFTER THE EASTER HOLIDAY WHAT THE NEXT STEP SHOULD BE AND THAT INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL TO LEGCO COULD NOT BE DEFERRED INDEFINITELY.
15. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (8.4) QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WOULD NEXT WEEK ASK THE CHINESE SIDE TO RE-OPEN TALKS. SHOULD THERE BE NO CONCRETE ARRANGEMENTS BY THE END OF APRIL, THE GOVERNMENT WOULD TABLE THE BILL AT THE END OF APRIL OR EARLY MAY. THE SOURCES SAID THAT PARTICIPATION OF HK OFFICIALS IN TALKS MUST BE OVERCOME BEFORE ANY TALKS CAN RESUME.
SINO-BRITISH CONTACTS
16. MING PAO (6.4) QUOTED SOURCES IN THE CHINESE MFA AS SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT CONTACTS BETWEEN MR GOODLAD AND THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR MA YUZHEN. SUCH CONTACTS WERE SIMILAR TO THOSE ROUTINE CONTACTS BETWEEN THE PEKING EMBASSY AND THE CHINESE MFA. THE SOURCES POINTED OUT THAT MA HAD RAISED ONLY BILATERAL ISSUES AND THAT THE RE-OPENING OF TALKS HAD NOT BEEN DISCUSSED BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS WERE NOT RIPE YET. THE EXPRESS (6.4) QUOTED HKMAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR WANG QIREN AS SAYING THAT HE HAD NOT HEARD OF DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS BETWEEN GOODLAD AND MA. HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE STILL WANTED CO-OPERATION WITH THE BRITISH ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF THE JD.
17. UNITED DAILY (7.4) QUOTED BRITISH SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE QUESTION OF HK WAS THE FOCUS OF DISCUSSION DURING RECENT CONTACTS
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