You repeated the Governor's phrase "weeks not months" to reach
agreement with China. Wrong to set such deadlines/attempt to
put pressure on China/shows lack of British sincerity?
- We have been scrupulous to avoid announcing deadlines. But
the clock ticks inexorably on. The time-frame for these talks,
as everybody knows (and anyone with a calendar can work out for
himself) is dictated by the legal obligation to have arrangements in place in time for the elections to be held. I
think it does no-one any harm to be reminded that there is not
much time left if we are to narrow the gap.
- It should be clear to all by the practical efforts we have
been making to narrow the gap, that we are sincere. We hope
that we shall see commensurate efforts by the Chinese side in
the talks during the weeks to come.
brief.legco.BB
SLM