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BIT HIS PACKAGE THROUGH LEGCO AND PROVED THAT THE BRITISH HAD TURNED TO A NEW APPROACH IN IMPLEMENTING THE PACKAGE BY CREATING A FAIT ACCOMPLI TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINA.
5. QUOTING VARIOUS SOURCES, UNITED DAILY (3.6) REPORTED THE TWO SIDES HAD BOTH MADE CONCESSIONS AND REACHED A MAJOR UNDERSTANDING IN THE FOURTH ROUND OF TALKS: AND DETAILS WOULD BE CONFIRMED AND ANNOUNCED AT THE FIFTH ROUND. THE REPORT SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD SKILFULLY PLAYED ITS ECONOMY CARDS TO WIN POLITICAL SUCCESS. IT WAS EXPECTED THE THIRD PROPOSAL ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NEW AIRPORT WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY CHINA IN PRINCIPLE.
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IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUESTIONS (4.6) THE ASSISTANT TO NCNA DIRECTOR LEE WAI TING SAID THAT THE PASSAGE OF THE BEC BILL AND LEGCO PANEL'S DECISION TO HOLD REGULAR MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE WERE SIGNS OF INSINCERITY ON THE PART OF THE BRITISH SIDE. THESE WOULD POSE OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS. COMMENTING ON MR GOODLAD'S ALLEGED REMARKS THAT LEGCO COULD PROPOSE AMENDMENTS TO ANY MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, MR LEE SAID THAT THE MINISTER'S REMARKS WERE INAPPROPRIATE AND WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE TALKS.
7. MANY PAPERS REPORTED (5.6) PROMINENTLY THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN WU JIANMIN HAD CRITICISED THE BRITISH HKG FOR INTERFERING WITH AND UNDERMINING THE TALKS BY ALLOWING AND SUPPORTING THE LEGCO PANEL'S DECISION TO DISCUSS THE GAZETTED BILL. A HK SPOKESMAN EXPRESSED SURPRISE TO MR WU'S STATEMENT, AND SAID LEGCO PANELS WERE NON-STATUTORY AND THEIR DISCUSSIONS WERE NOT PART OF THE FORMAL PROCEEDINGS OF LEGCO. THE PARTICULAR DISCUSSIONS WERE NOT INSTIGATED BY THE HKG AND ANY RESOLUTIONS PASSED WERE NOT BINDING ON THE GOVERNMENT OR ON LEGCO. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE CONSTITUTIONAL PANEL COULD NOT TAKE ACTION ON THE BILL SINCE IT HAD NOT BEEN INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO. THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THE PANEL'S DISCUSSIONS COULD NOT IN ANY WAY PREJUDICE THE OUTCOME OF THE
ONGOING TALKS.
ACCORDING TO THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL (4.6), SOURCES CLOSE TO THE CHINESE SIDE HAD REVEALED THAT THE CHINESE WERE MOST UNHAPPY WITH THE SERIES OF ''PETTY TRICKS'' RECENTLY ORCHESTRATED BY THE BRITISH SIDE TO CHALLENGE AND TEST THE CHINESE SIDE. THESE WOULD NO DOUBT AFFECT THE TALKS.
9.
MANY PAPERS (7.6) REPORTED ON A CHINA NEWS AGENCY COMMENTARY WHICH SAID IT WAS CLEAR FROM THE BRITISH SIDE'S PETTY TRICKS THAT
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