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BACK FUNDING SO THAT WE WOULD BE FORCED TO RETURN TO FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER FUNDS IN MARCH 1993. THIS WOULD BROADLY HAVE COINCIDED WITH OUR ATTEMPTS TO GET LEGISLATION ON POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH LEGCO, AND COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO EXERT PRESSURE.
6. CHINESE PRESSURE ON CRC INTENSIFIED IN THE LAST 48 HOURS BEFORE THE VOTE. ALLEN LEE WENT TO SEE GUO FENG-MIN IN THE MORNING ON 27 NOVEMBER. FOLLOWING THE VISIT, HE MADE AN IMPASSIONED PLEA TO US TO WITHDRAW THE PAPER. OTHER MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY STEVEN POON CRC'S SPOKESMAN ON THE AIRPORT APPEARED UNDER STRESS.
7.
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WE ATTEMPTED TO ACCOMMODATE CRC AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. WE REASSESSED FUNDING REQUIREMENTS, AND CHANGED OUR PROPOSALS SO AS TO DEFER A DECISION ON HKD 2 BILLION OF FUNDING FOR THE PAA (OTHER THAN THE PLATFORM CONTRACT) UNTIL JUNE 1993. CRC RESPONDED BY UPPING THE ANTE AND DEMANDING THAT WE TRIM OFF HKD 4
BILLION.
8.
INDEPENDENTS MOSTLY RESPONDED POSITIVELY TO LOBBYING. ELSIE TU REMAINED FIRMLY ANTI-GOVERNMENT THROUGHOUT. BUT MOST OTHER INDEPENDENTS CAME TOGETHER IN A SUPPORTIVE COALITION.
9. MEETING POINT QUICKLY TOOK A STANCE AGAINST THE PROPOSAL, AS DIRECTED BY THEIR PARTY LEADERS, WHO HAVE BEEN INCREASINGLY UNDER PRESSURE FROM SOME PRO-CHINA FOUNDER MEMBERS. THEY ARE NOW TRYING TO KEEP A CLEAR LINE OPEN WITH CHINA, WITH A VIEW TO THE FUTURE.
10. HEAVY LOBBYING BY HKG AND CHINA TOOK PLACE ON THE DAY OF THE VOTE. RONALD ARCULLI, VINCENT CHENG AND DAVID LI WERE OUT OF HONG KONG. AT OUR REQUEST, MARTIN BARROW RETURNED FROM JAPAN FOR THE DEBATE.
11.
DURING THE DEBATE, CRC TRIED TO DERAIL DISCUSSION WITH TWO MOTIONS, ONE TRYING TO GET THE PAPER WITHDRAWN AND TO CALL ON HKG TO ENTER INTO 'SINCERE NEGOTIATIONS' WITH CHINA ON THE AIRPORT FINANCING. THIS WAS RULED OUT OF ORDER. STEPHEN CHEONG THEN MOVED AN ADJOURNMENT OF DISCUSSION OF THE ITEM. THIS WAS VOTED DOWN FOLLOWING A DEBATE. THESE ANTICS MAY HAVE DENTED CRC'S POLITICAL STANDING.
12.
DURING THE COURSE OF DEBATE, WHICH WENT ON FOR FIVE-AND-A- HALF HOURS, WE SECURED A 'YES' VOTE FROM K.K.FUNG AND ERIC LI AND
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