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TRAIN, THEN THEY HAD TO ABIDE BY THE BL AND RECOGNISE THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE'S AUTHORITY IN INSPECTING TICKETS. THE TALKS COULD ONLY MAKE PROGRESS IF THE BRITISH NO LONGER INSISTED ON AN UNCONDITIONAL THROUGH TRAIN.
6.
SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WAS QUOTED (26.5) AS SAYING THERE WAS STILL A BIG GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE ISSUE OF THE THROUGH TRAIN. HE WAS HOWEVER OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME OF TALKS. PRESS REPORTS NOTED THAT SIR ROBIN HAD HINTED THAT THE ARRANGEMENT FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS COULD NOT BE SPLIT UP.
TALKS ON 1994/95 ELECTIONS
7. WAH KIU YAT PO QUOTED (26.5) CHINESE SOURCES IN PEKING AS SAYING THERE WAS STILL NOT MUCH PROGRESS IN THE TALKS. THE SOURCES NOTED ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE THROUGH TRAIN, THEY HAD STRESSED THAT ANY DISCUSSION HAD TO BE BASED. ON THE BL.
8.
SING PAO ALSO QUOTED (26.5) SOURCES AS SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NO INTENTION TO DRAG ON WITH THE TALKS, BUT BECAUSE THE ISSUES WERE VERY COMPLICATED, BOTH SIDES WOULD REQUIRE MORE TIME. THE CHINESE SIDE EXPECTED CONCRETE RESULTS WOULD ONLY BE ACHIEVED TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR.
9. THE PAPERS (28.5) GAVE PROMINENT COVERAGE TO REMARKS BY NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG, AND MFA SPOKESMAN, WU JIANMIN ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION (BEC) BILL BY LEGCO ON 26 MAY. MR ZHANG WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT WHILE THE TALKS ON THE BASIS OF THE THREE COMPLIANCES WERE PROCEEDING AND THE PEOPLE OF HK WERE HOPING FOR POSITIVE RESULTS, THIS MOVE BY THE BRITISH HK AUTHORITIES COULD ONLY BE SEEN AS DELIBERATELY CREATING OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS. MR ZHANG ADDED ANY ARRANGEMENTS RELATING TO THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS WOULD BE NULL AND VOID IF THEY HAD NOT BEEN AGREED THROUGH SINO-BRITISH CONSULTATION. THE GOVERNMENT PUT OUT A STATEMENT SAYING THE BEC BILL WAS PURELY TECHNICAL PIECE OF LEGISLATION AIMED AT MAKING PREPARATIONS IN TIME FOR THE DB ELECTIONS IN 1994. ITS PASSAGE WOULD IN NO WAY PREJUDGE THE OUTCOME OF THE CURRENT TALKS.
10.
PRESS REPORTS NOTED (29.5) SIR ROBIN MCLAREN'S REMARKS THAT THE 4TH ROUND OF TALKS HAD NOT BEEN ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY CHINESE CRITICISMS ON THE PASSAGE OF THE BEC BILL. TA KUNG PAO AND WEI WEN PO PLAYED UP JIANG ENZHU'S REMARKS THAT SINCERITY ON BOTH SIDES WAS VITAL. ON THE BEC BILL HE SAID THE CHINESE STAND HAD
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