TNAG-2708-FCO40-3914-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-and-Par-1993 — Page 54

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CO-OPERATION, THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD ABANDON THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN AND RETURN TO THE JD, BL AND PREVIOUS UNDERSTANDINGS/AGREEMENTS REACHED BETWEEN BOTH SIDES. WEN WEI PO QUOTING SOURCES (26.2) SAID THAT THE CHINESE STAND HAD NOT CHANGED. THE BRITISH HAD TO ABANDON THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN. IN THE OPINION OF THE CHINESE, 'POSTPONE' AND 'ABANDON' WERE TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS. THE SELF- IMPOSED DEADLINES THE BRITISH SIDE HAD SEVERAL TIMES GIVEN THEMSELVES WERE LIKE 'SPINNING A COCOON AROUND ONESELF'. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THE BASIS FOR RESUMING TALKS WOULD BE THE 'THREE COMPLIANCES'. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NEVER ASKED THE BRITISH SIDE TO PUBLICLY WITHDRAW THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN AND THERE WERE MANY WAYS FOR THE BRITISH SIDE TO DO SO. FOR EXAMPLE DURING NEGOTIATIONS THE PLAN COULD BE PUT ASIDE AS IF IT WAS AN 'INVISIBLE PLAN'. IT WAS ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE CHINESE SIDE HOED THE CONTENT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD NOT BE CONFINED TO ELECTORAL MATTERS AND SHOULD ALSO COVER ISSUES CONCERNING THE TRANSITION. THERE WAS A SIMILAR REPORT IN TA KUNG PAO WHICH ALSO SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WERE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT BEGINNING TALKS.

4.

REPORTS NOTED WIDELY (27.2) COMMENTS BY VICE DIRECTOR OF NCNA ZHENG JUNSHENG WHO SAID THE 1995 LEGCO ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD BE DISCUSSED BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA. AFTER AN AGREEMENT WAS REACHED, IT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO THE HKG FOR IMPLEMENTATION. LEGCO AND EXCO SHOULD NOT DISCUSS NOR DECIDE ON THESE ISSUES. MR ZHENG CLAIMED REPORTS THAT THE CHINESE WERE SOFTENING THEIR STAND OR THAT DISCUSSIONS WERE GOING ON WERE MADE UP BY THE BRITISH SIDE. THE CHINESE STANCE REMAINED UNCHANGED. HE SAID THERE WERE PEOPLE IN HONG KONG SAYING THAT THE GAZETTING OF THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN COULD NOT BE POSTPONED INDEFINITELY. THIS WAS TO ADD PRESSURE ON TO CHINA AND WOULD NOT WORK.

5.

AFP QUOTED (27.2) A BRITISH SOURCE AS SAYING THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE SIDES WOULD SHORTLY ANNOUNCE THE RESUMPTION OF TALKS. THE CHINESE SOURCE INDICATED THE CHINESE SIDE WERE PREPARING FOR THE RESUMPTION OF JLG TALKS AND THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PLAN COULD NOT BE LISTED IN THE JLG AGENDA. THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID (27.2) THE HKG WAS WAITING FOR FURTHER NEWS FROM THE CHINESE SIDE TO ASSESS WHETHER TALKS WOULD BE RESUMED. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD THE CHINESE SIDE HAD AGREED TO GIVE A DEFINITE REPLY WITHIN A FEW DAYS, INCLUDING WHETHER THERE WERE PRE-CONDITIONS FOR THE TALKS. EXCO WOULD THEN ASSESS THE SITUATION ACCORDING TO THIS RESPONSE. IF TALKS COULD NOT BE RESUMED, THE HKG WOULD GAZETTE THE BILL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND SUBMIT IT TO LEGCO FOR CONSIDERATION. IF TALKS COULD BE RESUMED THE HKG WOULD POSTPONE GAZETTING THE BILLS

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