UNCLASSIFIED
100711
MDHIAN 1966
BRITISH CONFIRMATION ON PRINCIPLES ON THE THREE COMPLIANCES WHICH BOTH SIDES HAD ALREADY AGREED. ON BRITISH INSISTENCE ON THE THROUGH TRAIN, THE SOURCES SAID THAT THIS WAS AN IMPOSSIBLE REQUEST. FURTHERMORE, THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOT FEEL THREATENED BY THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE GOVERNOR MIGHT VERY SOON TABLE THE ELECTORAL BILL TO LEGCO: SUCH ACTION WOULD ONLY INFURIATE HONG KONG PEOPLE.
10. WAH KIU YAT PO (24 MAY) ON THE OTHER HAND, SAID IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE TALKS HAD NOT GONE INTO ANY CONCRETE DISCUSSIONS. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, THE REPORT SAID BOTH SIDES WERE STILL INSISTING ON THEIR RESPECTIVE STANDS ON THE THROUGH TRAIN AND THAT THERE WERE STILL VAST DIFFERENCES ON THE QUESTION OF THE THREE COMPLIANCES.
11.
THE EXPRESS (24 MAY) SAID THAT SOME ISSUES CONCERNING IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES HAD BEEN REACHED IN THE SECOND ROUND OF TALKS, INCLUDING THE NUMBER OF DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS NOT EXCEEDING 20, THE DEFINITION OF FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. ALSO QUOTING SOURCES, THE REPORT NOTED THE FACT THAT THE FOURTH ROUND COULD BE HELD SO SOON INDICATED THAT TALKS WERE PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY. ANOTHER FACTOR WAS THE URGENCY OF COMPLETING THE RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURES.
12. QUOTING BRITISH SOURCES, THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS 924 MAY) SAID THAT SINCE THE TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS WOULD TAKE TIME, THE CURRENT LEGCO SESSION WOULD BE EXTENDED IF NECESSARY.
THE BUT IT COULD AT MOST BE EXTENDED BY ONLY HALF A MONTH. SOURCES ADDED THAT BRITAIN WANTED TO SEEK COMPREHENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN AND TO SET UP ACCEPTABLE
'TICKET INSPECTION' CRITERIA.
(24 13.
SCM POST, HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES AND WAH KIU YAT PO MAY) QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THEY WONDERED IF THE BRITISH WOULD ACCEPT CHINESE DEMAND THAT THE NATIONALITY RESTRICTION FOR LEGCO MEMBERS BE INTRODUCED BY LAW IN 1995 AND THAT THE BRITISH WOULD GUARANTEE THAT ALL MEMBERS ELECTED IN 1995 WOULD MEET THE BL REQUIREMENTS. IF THE BRITISH COULD NOT GIVE SUCH UNDERTAKING HOW COULD THEY ASK THE CHINESE TO GUARANTEE THAT ALL THE 1995 LEGCO MEMBERS COULD RIDE THE THROUGH TRAIN QUERY.
ZHANG JUNSHENG,
14.
REMARKS BY NCNA VICE DIRECTOR, ZHANG JUNSHENG, ON THE TALKS
3
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