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FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 386
OF 100912Z MARCH 93
Por. Partin
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INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT : MR GOODLAD'S REPLY TO ADPL: PRESS
REPORTS
1.
TODAY'S PAPERS GAVE GOOD COVERAGE TO MR GOODLAD'S REPLY TO FREDERICK FUNG CADPL). INTEREST WAS FOCUSED ON WHAT 'INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS' WOULD AMOUNT TO.
2.
IN RESPONSE TO PRESS QUESTIONS, NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG SAID THAT TO HONOUR INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS SHOULD MEAN THAT BRITAIN SHOULD HONOUR THE JD, A FUNDAMENTAL PROVISION OF WHICH WAS FOR CHINA TO RESTORE SOVEREIGNTY ON 1 JULY 1997 AND ALL MAJOR ISSUES STRADDLING 1997 SHOULD BE DECIDED BY CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.
3.
REACTIONS FROM LEGCO MEMBERS TO THE REPLY WERE MIXED. FREDERICK FUNG WAS REPORTED TO HAVE EXPRESSED THE FEAR THAT LEGCO'S ROLE IN DECIDING ON THE LEGISLATION FOR 1995 WOULD BE SERIOUSLY RESTRICTED: LEGCO WOULD BECOME A RUBBER STAMP. ADPL WOULD WRITE TO YOU TO CLARIFY WHAT INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS REALLY MEANT. FUNG WOULD SUGGEST DISCUSSIONS AT THE LEGCO HOUSE COMMITTEE.
4.
ACCORDING TO THE EXPRESS, SZETO WAH (UDHK) SUGGESTED THAT TO SAFEGUARD HONG KONG INTERESTS, THE CONDITION THAT LEGCO APPROVAL WOULD BE REQUIRED SHOULD BE PUT INTO ANY SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT, WHICH SHOULD BE ENDORSED BY THE PARLIAMENT AND NPC BEFORE SIGNING. ALLEN LEE (CRC) ASKED MR GOODLAD TO CLARIFY HIS REMARKS. ANDREW WONG (INDEPENDENT) SAID THAT UNDER THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS THE GOVERNOR COULD REFUSE ASSENT TO LEGISLATION PASSED BY LEGCO IF IT WAS INCOMPATIBLE WITH BRITAIN'S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS. BOTH TAM YIU-CHUNG (DAB) AND ELSIE TU DID NOT THINK LEGCO WOULD BE REDUCED TO A RUBBER STAMP.
5.
ZHANG JUNSHENG ALSO TOLD THE PRESS THAT BEFORE AN UNANIMOUS VIEW WAS REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON RE-OPENING TALKS, HE HOPED THAT BOTH THE BRITISH SIDE AND HKG SHOULD NOT SAY TOO MUCH
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