TNAG-2734-FCO40-3942-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 13

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 578

OF 140855Z APRIL 93

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

UNCLASSIFIED

HKB 012/3

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

15 APR

p.a. Leglo

155671

MDHIAN 7051

142

DESKO SA INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

COPY LIST?

RE-OPENING OF TALKS: LOCAL AND PRESS REACTION.

SUMMARY

1.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TALKS DOMINATED MEDIA COVERAGE TODAY. LEGCO MEMBERS AND POLITICAL GROUPS GENERALLY WELCOMED THE RE-OPENING OF THE TALKS. SO DID MOST NEWSPAPER EDITORIALS.

DETAIL

2.

MARTIN LEE (UDHK) SAID THAT WHILE THE TALKS WOULD NOW GET UNDERWAY, THE ELECTORAL BILL SHOULD STILL BE INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO WITHOUT DELAY SO THAT IT COULD BE ENACTED IN THE CURRENT SESSION. LEE SAID UDHK WOULD DEEPLY REGRET ANY FURTHER DELAY IN THE INTRODUCTION. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE TALKS SHOULD BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE AND WE SHOULD REPORT THE PROGRESS REGULARLY. THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD NOT GIVE UP THE PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRACY IN THE TALKS. HE ALSO SAW THE PARTICIPATION IN TALKS BY HKG OFFICIALS AS SUPPORTING STAFF A CONCESSION BY CHINA.

3. ALLEN LEE (LIBERAL PARTY) WELCOMED THAT BOTH SIDES HAD NOW TAKEN THE FIRST STEP BY AGREEING TO RE-OPEN TALKS, THOUGH HE FELT THE TALKS WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT. HE BELIEVED THAT IT WAS NOT ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO PASS THE LEGISLATION WITHIN THE CURRENT SESSION. THE BILL COULD BE PUT TO LEGCO IN THE NEXT SESSION.

4.

FRED LI (MEETING POINT) SAID AS THE TALKS WOULD BE RE- OPENED, THE BILL NEEDED NOT BE TABLED AT LEGCO FOR THE TIME BEING. THE TIMING OF INTRODUCTION COULD BE DECIDED IN LIGHT OF THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS. LI NEVERTHELESS STRESSED THE NEED TO COMPLETE THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS BY JULY.

5.

DAB ISSUED A STATEMENT YESTERDAY EVENING CALLING ON THE TWO SIDES TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE BEFORE DECIDING ON THE 1994/95 ARRANGEMENTS. ITS CHAIRMAN, TSANG YOK-

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