TNAG-2734-FCO40-3942-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislative-Council-(LEGCO)-1993 — Page 182

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 245

OF 162304Z FEBRUARY 93

UNCLASSIFIED

HKB 012/3

RECEIVED IN BEGISTRY

INCA

15 MAR 1393

PA

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

REGISTRY

Acton Taken

рик Сед Со

170547

MDHIAN 9976

(12)

Sandos (or)

{}

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: RE-OPENING OF TALKS: PRESS REPORTS

1. MING PAO TODAY (17 FEB) REPORTED EXCLUSIVELY THAT ZHOU NAN AND ONE OF HIS DEPUTIES, QIN WENJUN, WERE NOW IN PEKING ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS. THE REPORT QUOTED A SOURCE CLOSE TO THE CHINESE SIDE AS SAYING APART FROM ATTENDING THE MEETING OF NPC STANDING COMMITTEE, ZHOU MIGHT BE TAKING PART IN THE PREPARATION FOR THE RESUMPTION OF TALKS.

2. ANOTHER NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG WAS QUOTED IN MANY PAPERS AS REITERATING THAT THE CHINESE STANCE HAD NOT BEEN CHANGED. HE REFUSED TO COMMENT ON WHETHER TALKS WOULD RE-OPEN SOON, BUT SAID THAT WE MUST GIVE UP 'MR PATTEN'S WRONG THINGS' BEFORE THERE COULD BE TALKS. MOREOVER, THE 'THREE-LEGGED STOOL' TACTIC COULD NOT BE USED IN CONSULTATION OVER HONG KONG ISSUES.

3. ACCORDING TO HK ECONOMIC TIMES, A NUMBER OF LEGCO MEMBERS EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY OF EXCO DISCUSSIONS ON THE PACKAGE. HUANG CHEN-YA (UDHK) SAID THAT WE SHOULD KEEP THE PUBLIC INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS OF THE DISCUSSIONS, OR PUBLIC CONFIDENCE WOULD BE UNDERMINED. RONALD ARCULLI (CRC) SAID THAT LEGCO HAD BEEN KEPT IN THE DARK ABOUT EXCO DELIBERATIONS. FRED LI (MEETING POINT) WAS OF THE VIEW THAT EXCO SHOULD EXPLAIN TO THE PUBLIC WHAT HAD DELAYED THE GAZETTAL OF THE DRAFT LEGISLATION. TAM YIU-CHUNG (DAB) REMARKED THAT EXCO HAD BEEN ACTING UNUSUALLY ON THIS OCCASION, WHICH SHOWED THAT EXCO WAS UNABLE TO 'REACH A DECISION ON CERTAIN MATTER'.

PATTEN

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