TNAG-2739-FCO40-3953-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development--through-tra-1993 — Page 73

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 839

OF 250958Z MAY 93

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

Chorough tra

108463

MDHIAN 2095

HKB 012/17.

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS

TALKS ON 1994/95 ELECTIONS

1. THE SUBJECT OF THROUGH TRAIN FEATURED PROMINENTLY IN TODAY'S (25 MAY) MEDIA COVERAGE ON THE CURRENT TALKS. AMID INTENSE SPECULATION ON WHETHER THE TALKS HAD MADE ANY PROGRESS.

SOURCES

2. MANY PAPERS QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE TALKS WERE DEADLOCKED OVER THE THROUGH TRAIN. SOURCES SAID THAT TO THE BRITISH SIDE, THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS WERE BASICALLY TALKS ON THE THROUGH TRAIN ISSUE BECAUSE THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS WAS THE STARTING POINT FOR THROUGH TRAIN.

3. BRITISH SOURCES QUOTED IN A NUMBER OF PAPERS SAID THAT BRITAIN WAS A SIGNATORY OF THE JD. THE BL WAS WORKED OUT BASED ON THE JD, THEREFORE THE BRITISH HAD THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THE BL BEFORE 1997. ALTHOUGH THE CHINESE HAD ALWAYS INSISTED THAT THE RIGHT TO INTERPRET THE BL RESTED WITH THE NPC, THE BRITISH FELT THAT THIS WAS ONLY TRUE AFTER 1997 WHEN THE BL CAME INTO EFFECT.

4. THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE STILL INSISTED ON A COMPLETE THROUGH TRAIN. BUT THE SOURCES ALSO HINTED THAT THE BRITISH WOULD NOT TRESPASS ON THE POWER OF THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE BUT WOULD ONLY SOUGHT A GUARANTEE THAT THERE WOULD BE UNBIASED AND NORMAL STANDARD. THE SOURCES ALSO RULED OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF SPLITTING UP THE ELECTORAL BILL FOR TABLING AT LEGCO. THE SOURCES SAID THAT THE VARIOUS ITEMS WERE DISCUSSED TOGETHER AND THERE WAS NO QUESTION OF COMING TO A SOLUTION ON PART OF THE PACKAGE.

5. THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED BRITISH SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE THROUGH TRAIN ISSUE WAS THE BOTTOM LINE IN SINO-BRITISH TALKS. IF THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE COULD SUBJECTIVELY

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