UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 1020
UNCLASSIFIED
STRY
(169)
001245
MDHIAN 6028
012/2
RECEIVE
25 Jun 1993
DESK C
REGISTRY
INDEX
A
on Taken
OF 231227Z JUNE 93
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
ра
1012/2
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORT
TALKS
1. A NUMBER OF PAPERS CARRIED SCA'S REMARKS BEFORE HIS DEPARTURE FOR PEKING FOR THE SIXTH ROUND. SCA WAS QUOTED TO HAVE SAID THAT BRITAIN WAS SINCERE TOWARDS THE TALKS AND THAT SETTING A DEADLINE WOULD NOT BE USEFUL. WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE BRITISH SIDE HAD MADE UNREASONABLE DEMANDS AT THE NEGOTIATION TABLE, SCA SAID THAT THE VARIOUS POLLS HAD AGREED THAT HKG WAS A RESPONSIBLE AND PRACTICAL GOVERNMENT: THERE WAS THEREFORE NO NEED TO QUERY WHETHER HKG'S PROPOSALS WERE UNREASONABLE. HK ECONOMIC TIMES NOTED IN ITS HEADLINES THAT IN SAYING THAT IT WOULD TAKE 9 TO 12 MONTHS TO PREPARE FOR THE 1994 ELECTIONS, SCA HAD HINTED THAT SEPTEMBER WAS THE DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS.
2. ON PROGRESS OF THE TALKS, SING TAO DAILY QUOTED SOURCES CLOSE TO CHINESE AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR HK AFFAIRS AS SAYING THAT NO CONSENSUS HAD BEEN REACHED AT PREVIOUS ROUNDS. EVEN SOME MATTERS OF PRINCIPLE ON WHICH THE VIEWS OF THE TWO SIDES HAD BEEN CLOSE HAD BEEN OVERTURNED BY THE BRITISH SIDE AT THE FIFTH ROUND. THE SOURCES SAID THAT WHILE THE BRITISH SIDE HAD BEEN INCLINED TO AGREE WITH THE CHINESE SIDE'S VIEWS ON THE FC ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE IN THE FIRST FOUR ROUNDS, THEY HAD CHANGED THEIR POSITION AT THE FIFTH ROUND. THIS LED TO WIDENING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES AND EXPLAINED REPEATED CHINESE CALLS FOR SINCERITY. INDEED THE ATMOSPHERE HAD DETERIORATED SHARPLY AT ONE POINT AT THE FIFTH ROUND, WHEN THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ASKED THE BRITISH SIDE WHETHER THEY WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS.
3. ORIENTAL DAILY REPORTED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD GIVEN UP HOPES THAT A DEAL COULD BE REACHED BY JULY. SOME CABINET MEMBERS AND HKG OFFICIALS HAD LOST PATIENCE WITH THE STALLING TACTICS DEPLOYED BY THE CHINESE SIDE. HOWEVER, THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THAT THE FOREIGN SECRETARY AND OTHER OFFICIALS OBJECTED TO WITHDRAWING FROM THE TALKS. THEY WERE STILL HOPEFUL THAT THE TWO SIDES COULD
1
PAGE UNCLASSIFIED