XN000022-1993-04-13 — Page 2

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TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1993

ELECTIONS TALKS TO START IN BEIJING

THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE ISSUED AT 1100 TODAY (TUESDAY) THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT:

HRS.

GMT

"THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES HAVE AGREED THAT THE GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TWO COUNTRIES WILL, STARTING FROM 22 APRIL → HOLD TALKS IN BEIJING ON THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994-95 ELECTIONS IN HONG KONG IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, TILE PRINCIPLE OF CONVERGENCE WITH THE BASIC LAW AND THE RELEVANT AGREEMENTS AND UNDERSTANDINGS REACHED BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN. THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL BE SIR ROBIN MCLAREN, BRITISH AMBASSADOR TO CHINA. THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL BE MR JIANG ENZHU, VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

EVERYBODY MUST APPROACH TALKS POSITIVELY

THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID FORD, SAID THIS (TUESDAY) EVENING THAT EVERYBODY MUST NOW LOOK FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE SPIRIT AND WELCOME THE TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS SCHEDULED TO START ON APRIL 22 IN BEIJING.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS, SIR DAVID SAID: " HARD ΤΟ HAVE THESE TALKS AND I'M DELIGHTED THAT WE AGREEMENT WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE ΤΟ BOTH SIDES ON FOR THE TALKS.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING

MANAGE TO REACH THE WAY FORWARD

"WE HOPE THAT WE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH ARE FAIR AND OPEN AND ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND WHICH WILL PROVIDE CONTINUITY THROUGH 1997 WHICH Is OBVIOUSLY A KEY FACTOR ALSO.

"OUR PLAN FROM HERE IS THAT BIR ROBIN MCLAREN WILL RETURN WITH THE GOVERNOR THIS WEEKEND. WE PLAN TO HAVE TALKS WITH OFFICIALS ON SUNDAY AND ALSO WITH MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BEFORE THE TEAM TRAVELS TO BEIJING NEXT WEEK.

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ASKED ABOUT HONG KONG'S ROLE IN THE TALKS, SIR DAVID SAID: HONG KONG OFFICIALS ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE SAME WAY AS THEY PARTICIPATED IN PREVIOUS TALKS.

"THE

"IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT HONG KONG OFFICIALS WILL SUPPORTING SIR ROBIN MCLAREN AS MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WHICH IS GOING BEIJING.

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SIR DAVID ADDED THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK AND PARTICIPATE AS ANY MEMBER OF A TEAM IN THAT SENSE.

ΤΟ

/IN REPLY