TNAG-1250-FCO40-1564-Press-reports-on-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 41

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- 7 DLL 1983

€30

FM HONG KONG 070700Z DEC 83

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1892 OF 7 DECEMBER

AS 금대기

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, BRUSSELS AND GENEVA.

FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PRESS COVERAGE.

THE DEATH ON 6 DECEMBER OF HO YIN, PROMINENT MACAU BUSINESSMAN AND NPC AND CPPCC MEMBER, WAS THE MAIN STORY IN TODAY'S LEFT-WING AND INDEPENDENT PRESS.

2. ALL PAPERS NOTED THAT THE SEVENTH ROUND OF TALKS WOULD START TODAY AFTER FURTHER INFORMAL CONTACTS BETWEEN SIR P. CRADOCK AND THE CHINESE. THE TWO TELEVISION STATIONS HAVE REPORTED THAT THE TALKS WILL GO INTO RECESS UNTIL THE NEXT SESSION ABOUT THE END OF

JANUARY.

3. THERE WERE NO FUTURE RELATED EDITORIALS OR COMMENTARIES IN THE COMMUNIST PRESS. TIN TIN DAILY NEWS (PRO-CHINA), HOWEVER, QUOTED

''SOURCES'

** AS SAYING THAT THE SEVENTH ROUND OF TALKS WOULD FOCUS ON THE ''MINI-CONSTITUTION AND A ''12-POINT PROPOSAL '' TABLED BY THE CHINESE AT THE LAST ROUND. THE PAPER SPECULATED THAT THE BRITISH TEAM WANTED TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE LEGAL SYSTEM AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE AND TRY TO SECURE A CONTINUED BRITISH LINK SO THAT BRITISH OFFICIALS IN HONG KONG COULD RETAIN THEIR BRITISH NATIONALITY WHILST SERVING IN AN ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE LEADERSHIP

OF CHINESE PEOPLE.

TI

4. EDITORIALS IN THE INDEPENDENT PRESS COMMENTED ON THE NEED FOR HONG KONG RESIDENTS TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES (MING PAO AND WAH KIU YAT PO) AND THE NEED FOR CONTINUITY IN THE RULE OF LAW UNDER A CONSTITUTION DETERMINED BY MAJORITY VIEW (HK DAILY NEWS). THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST'S EDITORIAL FOUND CHINA'S ONE STATE, TWO SYSTEMS'' PROPOSAL FRAUGHT WITH DIFFICULTIES. THERE WAS NO DOUBT THAT HONG KONG WAS CAPABLE OF SELF-ADMINISTRATION, BUT THERE MUST BE NO OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE. MORE CONCRETE GUARANTEES THAN THOSE APPARENTLY OFFERED BY A MINI-CONSTITUTION WERE NEEDED.

15.

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