}
UNCLASSIFIED
HKC 012/2 ECEIVED IN RECISTRY
2 JU 1993
(141
121007
MOLIAN 6354
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 878
OF 010444Z JUNE 93
SKO
REGISTRY
PA Action Taken
Moorfz
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA
PART ONE OF TWO
HONG KONG FUTURE : PRESS COVERAGE : (25.5
(25.5 - 1.6)
SUMMARY
1. SPECULATION CONTINUED ON THE PROGRESS AND CONTENT OF THE TALKS ON 1994/95 ELECTIONS: THE ANNOUNCEMENTS OF ITS FIFTH ROUND AND THAT OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING WERE PROMINENTLY REPORTED.
THROUGH TRAIN
2.
MANY PAPERS QUOTED (25.5) SOURCES AS SAYING THE TALKS WERE DEADLOCKED OVER THE THROUGH TRAIN. SOURCES SAID TO THE BRITISH SIDE, THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS WERE BASICALLY ON THE THROUGH TRAIN ISSUE BECAUSE THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS WAS THE STARTING POINT FOR THROUGH TRAIN.
3.
BRITISH SOURCES QUOTED IN A NUMBER OF PAPERS (25.5) THAT BRITAIN WAS A SIGNATORY OF THE JD. THE BL WAS WORKED OUT BASED ON THE JD, THEREFORE THE BRITISH HAD THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THE BL BEFORE 1997. ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE HAD ALWAYS INSISTED THAT THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THE BL RESTED WITH THE NPC, THE BRITISH FELT THIS WAS ONLY TRUE AFTER 1997 WHEN THE BL CAME INTO EFFECT.
4*
THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (25.5) QUOTED BRITISH SOURCES AS SAYING THE THROUGH TRAIN WAS THE BOTTOM LINE. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, SING TAO DAILY SAID THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVED BOTH SIDES HAD IN THE PAST REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING ON THE THROUGH TRAIN AND HAD EXPRESSED AGREEMENT TO THE BL PROVISIONS ON THE THROUGH TRAIN FOLLOWING THE 1990 EXCHANGE OF CORRESPONDENCE.
5. WEN WEI PO'S EDITORIAL (25.5) STRESSED THE 'TICKET INSPECTION SYSTEM FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN WAS A MANIFESTATION OF THE BL'S PRINCIPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY. IF THE BRITISH REALLY WANTED A THROUGH
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UNCLASSIFIED