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MDLIAN
PROPOSALS WERE SUBMITTED TO LEGCO. IF THERE WAS NO CONVERGENCE, THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD SET UP ANOTHER STOVE IN ACCORDANCE TO THE BL IN 1997. THEY HAD NO INTENTION TO SET UP A POWER CENTRE IN HK BEFORE 1997.
4.
REPORTS NOTED (12.2) THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, WU JIANMIN, REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD TO WITHDRAW HIS PROPOSALS TO SHOW SINCERITY FOR GOING BACK TO THE TRACK OF THE JD. MR WU SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANYTHING WHICH WAS NOT IN CONVERGENCE WITH THE BL.
5.
THE
THE SUNDAY POST (14.2) NOTED A LOBBYING CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE AMONG MPS IN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE LABOUR PARTY WAS LAUNCHED BY THE CHINESE EMBASSY IN LONDON. CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO LONDON, MA YUZHEN, HELD A MEETING WITH SHADOW FOREIGN SECRETARY, JACK CUNNINGHAM AND HIS DEPUTY, A SPOKESMAN RESPONSIBLE FOR HK, ALAN ROGERS. AFTER THE MEETING MR CUNNINGHAM AND MR ROGERS BOTH AGREED TO VISIT PEKING FOR FURTHER TALKS ABOUT HK, PROBABLY IN MAY. MR MA HAD ALSO HELD MEETINGS WITH OTHER MPS AND SEVERAL HAD REPORTEDLY ACCEPTED INVITATIONS TO VISIT PEKING WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THE PAPER NOTED THAT MR MA'S TALKS WITH LABOUR MPS COINCIDED WITH A SERIES OF MEETINGS WHICH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS HAVING WITH CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS TO SECURE SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE.
6.
PAPERS NOTED (15.2) LEGCO MEMBERS WERE GENERALLY IN FAVOUR OF RESUMPTION OF TALKS BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN BUT THEIR VIEWS DIFFERED ON WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE A POSTPONEMENT IN TABLING THE BILLS IN LEGCO FOR DISCUSSIONS. CRC'S ALAN LEE FAVOURED POSTPONEMENT AND WAS QUOTED AS SAYING IT WAS IMPORTANT FOR CHINA AND BRITAIN TO RESUME TALKS. DAB'S TSANG YOK SING DID NOT GIVE A DIRECT ANSWER BUT SAID THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WOULD BE CRUCIAL IN DETERMINING WHETHER THERE WOULD BE CO-OPERATION BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN. MEETING POINT'S ANTHONY CHEUNG SAID THE GROUP HAD NOT DECIDED AND UDHK'S SZETO WAH SAID THERE WAS NO NEED TO POSTPONE THE DEBATE. ADPL'S FREDERICK FUNG SAID THE BEST TIME FOR THE BILLS TO BE TABLED IN LEGCO WOULD BE BETWEEN END MARCH AND EARLY APRIL, BECAUSE LEGISLATORS WOULD BE BUSY SCRUTINISING THE BUDGET IN EARLY MARCH. MING PAO NOTED MOST OF THE INDEPENDENT LEGISLATORS WERE AGAINST POSTPONEMENT. ANDREW WONG SAID BOTH SIDES COULD STILL CONTINUE TALKS AFTER THE BILLS HAD BEEN TABLED IN LEGCO. CHRISTINE LOH AND EMILY LAU WERE ALSO AGAINST THE IDEA.
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