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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
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REGISTRY TOP COPY
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046177
MDLIAN 6582
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FM PEKING
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
Action Taken
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 31
OF 1209212 JANUARY 93
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
Q DIST?
P 12/3
HONG KONG CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS: CHINESE PRESS
SUMMARY
1.
DETAILED COVERAGE OF THE OPEN LETTER PUBLISHED IN HONG KONG ON 11 DECEMBER CALLING FOR SINO-BRITISH DISCUSSIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS. COMMENTS BY XU XIMIN AND FELICE LIEH MAK. NO REFERENCE TO CHINESE PRECONDITIONS FOR TALKS.
DETAIL
2.
THE PEOPLE'S DAILY AND CHINA DAILY OF 12 DECEMBER BOTH REPORT THE PUBLICATION OF THE OPEN LETTER SIGNED BY SOME 200 HONG KONG RESIDENTS ON 11 JANUARY. THE PEOPLE'S DAILY QUOTES EXTENSIVELY FROM THE OPEN LETTER BUT GIVES NO FURTHER COMMENT. ITS HEADLINE DESCRIBES IT AS CRITICISING THE HONG KONG BRITISH AUTHORITIES FOR DAMAGING SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.
3.THE CHINA DAILY'S COVERAGE, UNDER THE HEADLINE ''PATTEN URGED TO HOLD TALKS WITH CHINA IS SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT. IT PAYS MORE ATTENTION TO THE SPREAD OF ORGANISATIONS AND INTEREST GROUPS SIGNING THE LETTER, WHICH IT SUMMARISES AS A CALL FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE TO KEEP IN MIND THE BASIC PREMISE THAT HONG KONG IS IN A PROCESS OF SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL TRANSITION AND TO INSIST THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT SHOULD REOPEN DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINA TO WORK OUT POLITICAL ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE IN THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG.
4. THE CHINA DAILY ALSO REPORTS COMMENTS BY XU XIMIN, A ''VETERAN ADVISER TO CHINA ON HONG KONG AFFAIRS'' AND BY EXCO MEMBER FELICE LIEH MAK. XU REPORTEDLY SAID THAT THE GOVERNOR SHOULD NOT SUBMIT HIS POLITICAL PROPOSALS FOR DISCUSSION AND APPROVAL BY LEGCO PENDING DIPLOMATIC NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. HE URGED THE BRITISH SIDE TO TAKE THE INITIATIVE FOR STARTING THE NEGOTIATIONS. FELICE LIEH MAK IS REPORTED AS SAYING THAT SHE FEARED THAT PUSHING THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS IN THE FACE OF
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