TNAG-2719-FCO40-3925-Hong-Kong-electoral-provisions-and-arrangements-1993 — Page 189

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HKB 011/7

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FM PEKING

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1993

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INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG UKREP JLG HONG KONG

pa.

Flections

111670 AN/7807

MDLIAN 7807

M. Sourc

OUR TELNO 1042: BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION: PUBLIC STEPS

1. TODAY'S PEOPLE'S DAILY AND CHINA DAILY CARRY ON THEIR FRONT PAGES COMMENTS MADE BY THE MFA SPOKESMAN ON 27 JULY, COMPLAINING ABOUT THE GAZETTING OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE BEC AND THE DECISION TO MERGE THE WAU TSIN AND MONGKOK DISTRICT BOARDS.

2.

THE SPOKESMAN CALLED ON THE BRITISH SIDE TO STOP ALL ACTIONS INTERFERING WITH THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS. HE SAID THAT HKG'S ACTIONS HAD A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH THE 1994/95 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS AND THE TWO SIDES SHOULD SEEK SOLUTIONS TO THESE QUESTIONS THROUGH DISCUSSION. THE BRITISH SIDE HAD IGNORED THE CHINESE SIDE'S OPPOSITION AND CONNIVED WITH HKG'S UNILATERAL ACTIONS, ATTEMPTING TO CREATE A FAIT ACCOMPLI: THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE SIDE.

COMMENT

3. THE CHINESE HAVE GIVEN THIS A SLIGHTLY HIGHER PROFILE THAN WE WOULD HAVE HOPED. THE ONLY ELEMENT IN THE PRESS STATEMENT WHICH DIFFERS FROM THE LINE THE MFA TOOK WITH US ON 26 JULY (OUR TUR) IS THE FAMILIAR REFERENCE TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S ''CONNIVING'' WITH HKG.

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