UNCLASSIFIED
M. 1-4 IWR Constit. Despot... p5 pwR B. Bils 016172
pwp.
MDLIAN 4438
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2969
OF 301005Z DECEMBER 92
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, BIS NEW YORK INFO HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO GENEVA
HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (16.12 30.12).
SUMMARY
1. REMARKS BY THE GOVERNOR AND CHINESE FIGURES ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS AND SINO-HK AND SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS FEATURED.
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
2. THE GOVERNOR'S INTERVIEW WITH TV STATIONS WAS NOTED BY THE PAPERS (24.12). THE GOVERNOR WAS NOTED AS SAYING HIS POLITICAL PACKAGE WOULD BE SUBMITTED TO EXCO/LEGCO EARLY NEXT YEAR AND ALL OTHER COUNTER PROPOSALS WOULD ALSO BE ATTACHED SO THAT LEGCO COULD COMPARE THEIR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES. THE GOVERNOR HOPED THE FINAL PLAN WOULD BE ACCEPTED BY BOTH HK AND CHINA. HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE AIRPORT PROJECT WOULD BE AFFECTED AS THE CHINESE KNEW WELL THAT HK NEEDED A NEW AIRPORT.
3. REPORTS NOTED (28.12) THE GOVERNOR IN AN ARTICLE IN THE JANUARY ISSUE OF MING PAO MONTHLY SAID THE DEBATE ABOUT THE 1995 ELECTIONS WAS A VITAL ELEMENT IN TURNING DENG XIAOPING'S CONCEPT OF ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS' INTO A WORKING REALITY. HE SAID THIS WAS WHAT BRITAIN AND CHINA HAD PLEDGED TO DO AND THAT WAS WHAT WOULD DETERMINE THEIR RELATIONSHIP. THE GOVERNOR ALSO SAID HE BELIEVED IN ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS'' AND ASKED THE CRITICS IF THEY DID. THE GOVERNOR REITERATED HE WAS COMMITTED TO PRESERVING HONG KONG'S SEPARATE WAY OF LIFE BEYOND 1997: THERE WAS NO CONTRADICTION BETWEEN THIS AND PRESERVING HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY: THE TWO WERE MUTUALLY REINFORCING.
4. IT WAS NOTED THE MAGAZINE ALSO CARRIED AN ARTICLE BY HK NCNA DEPUTY DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG WHO AGAIN ATTACKED THE GOVERNOR FOR BREACHING THE JD. MR. ZHANG WROTE THAT IT WAS LAUGHABLE THAT 'SOMEONE 1 AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A COLONIAL ADMINISTRATION HAD SHOUTED FOR DEMOCRACY. MR. ZHANG ALLEGED THE GOVERNOR HAD DIVIDED THE COMMUNITY AND DAMAGED COOPERATION. MR. ZHANG ALSO SAID ANY
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