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SAID AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WITHOUT ANY PROVISION ON THE THROUGH TRAIN WAS UNACCEPTABLE, POINTING OUT SUCH REMARKS WERE NOT POSITIVE OR CONDUCIVE TO THE TALKS.
3. SOME PAPERS (5.8) PICKED UP AN ARTICLE IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE ''MIRROR'' MAGAZINE, WHICH QUOTED A CHINESE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE AS SAYING CHINA HAD NOT SOFTENED ITS STAND ON THE HK QUESTION. HE SAID THE PARTY AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT MAKE CONCESSIONS ON MATTERS THAT RELATED TO SOVEREIGNTY.
GOVERNOR
4. REMARKS BY THE GOVERNOR TO THE MEDIA AFTER MEETING THE SECRETARY OF STATE WERE NOTED (30.7). THE GOVERNOR WAS QUOTED AS SAYING HE WAS NOT SETTING A DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS. BUT HE ADDED THAT LEGISLATORS WOULD BE EXPECTING HIM TO GIVE A REPORT ON THE TALKS IN HIS POLICY ADDRESS IN EARLY OCTOBER. ON THE WORK OF THE JLG, THE GOVERNOR SAID THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND THERE WAS A NEED TO SPEED IT UP.
LU PING
5. LU PING WAS QUOTED AS SAYING (31.7) THERE HAD BEEN PROGRESS IN THE TALKS BUT THE PACE WAS SLOW. THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED FOR AN EARLY SOLUTION. LU WAS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT PLAN TO HAVE TALKS IN AUGUST BUT THE CHINESE SIDE CONSIDERED TIMING WAS TIGHT AND REQUESTED TALKS TO CONTINUE. THUS THE NINTH ROUND WAS SET IN MID-AUGUST. LU DECLINED TO SAY WHETHER AGREEMENT WOULD BE REACHED BEFORE THE GOVERNOR'S POLICY ADDRESS IN OCTOBER. SOME PAPERS QUOTED FCO SPOKESMAN IN HK CHRIS OSBORNE AS SAYING THE DATES FOR THE NINTH ROUND WERE AGREED BY BOTH SIDES. HE SAID THE FACT THAT SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WOULD CUT SHORT HIS VACATION TO TAKE PART IN THE TALKS WAS A DEMONSTRATION OF THE SINCERITY OF THE
BRITISH SIDE.
6. A FEW PAPERS (3.8) QUOTED LU PING AS SAYING HE HAD NO PLANS AT PRESENT TO MEET THE GOVERNOR. THE REPORTS SAID THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVED THE TALKS WERE A MATTER FOR CHINA AND BRITAIN AND IT WAS BELIEVED LU WOULD NOT MEET THE GOVERNOR BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF
NEGOTIATIONS.
7. THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES (5.8) REPORTED LU PING HAD INITIALLY AGREED TO VISIT HK IN OCTOBER TO OFFICIATE AT A BL PROMOTION CAMPAIGN ORGANISED BY THE JOINT CONFERENCE ON THE PROMOTION OF THE BL PROVIDED THAT THE POLITICAL REFORM ISSUE HAD BY THEN BEEN RESOLVED. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THE INVITATION WAS EXTENDED BY HK
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