TNAG-2726-FCO40-3932-Hong-Kong-opinion-polls-on-constitutional-development-1993 — Page 71

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MOLIAN 319 ·

11. MOST PAPERS (30.3) REPORTED THAT DAB, AFTER MEETING SECRETARY FOR TREASURY YEUNG KAI-YIM, QUOTED MR YEUNG AS REITERATING THAT IF THE GOVERNMENT WERE TO SPEND THE EXTRA DOLLARS 20 BILLION ON THE NEW AIRPORT, THE AMOUNT WOULD HAVE TO COME FROM THE LAND SALES ALONG THE AIRPORT RAILWAY AND NOT FROM THE USUAL LAND SALES OR THE RESERVES. SOME PAPERS NOTED THAT MR YEUNG HAD STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NOT INSIST ON THE PROPOSAL THAT THE SARG WOULD HAVE TO PUT IN DOLLARS 20 BILLION. THE PAPERS QUOTED DAB SPOKESMAN HO KONG-ON AS SAYING THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD REFUSED TO MAKE NEW PROPOSALS ON THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE NEW AIRPORT AND THAT THEY WOULD REFLECT THE MESSAGE TO PEKING DURING THEIR VISIT NEXT MONTH.

ZHANG JUNSHENG

12.

MANY PAPERS (27.3) QUOTED ZHANG AS SAYING THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD ALREADY TAKEN TWO WRONG MOVES BY INTRODUCING THE

CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE AND BY GAZETTING THE REFORM BILL AND WOULD BE TAKING THE THIRD WRONG MOVE IF HE PUT THE BILL TO LEGCO. HE SAID THE GOVERNOR SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS THIRD STEP ADDING THAT IT WOULD BE FUTILE TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINA TO INTRODUCE THE BILL TO LEGCO.

TIMING FOR TABLING THE BILL

13. QUOTING SENIOR GOVERNMENT SOURCES, MANY PAPERS (24.3) NOTED THAT EXCO MEMBERS WOULD PRIVATELY CONSULT LEGCO MEMBERS ON THEIR VIEWS RELATING TO THE TIMING FOR INTRODUCING THE BILL. COMMENTING ON THIS MOVE, LEGISLATOR ELSIE TU SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS SHIRKING ITS RESPONSIBILITIES: ALAN LEE OF CRC SAID THAT THE MOVE WAS UNPRECEDENTED AND ABNORMAL ADDING THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD DECIDE ON ITS OWN: YEUNG SUM OF UDHK WELCOMED EXCO'S CONSULTATION ON THIS MAJOR ISSUE BUT HE WAS WORRIED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS USING LEGCO TO GET RID OF ITS PROBLEMS. THE ORIENTAL DAILY (25.3) QUOTED EIGHT INDEPENDENT LEGCO MEMBERS AS SAYING THAT THEY WOULD NOT OBJECT IF THE BILL WAS NOT INTRODUCED TO LEGCO WITHIN MARCH.

14.

IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT, THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE OF THE LIBERAL PARTY (24.3) ISSUED A POSITION PAPER ON THE CURRENT SINO- BRITISH ROW. THEY URGED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD NOT INSIST ON THE STATUS OF HK OFFICIALS PARTICIPATING IN THE TALKS AND THAT BRITAIN SHOULD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO BREAK THE DEADLOCK. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED THAT THE BILL SHOULD BE TABLED IN SEPTEMBER SO AS TO GIVE TIME FOR BOTH SIDES TO NEGOTIATE.

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