TNAG-2768-FCO40-3985-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1993 — Page 104

UNCLASSIFIED

007072

MDHIAN 6431

PREPARATORY WORKING COMMITTEE FOR THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE

(PC)

6.

1

-68,& 5#-5 5#3

THE PAPERS (24.6) 7953^ 5#3 &9=34,94 SETTING UP OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD NOT AFFECT THE ADMINISTRATION AND

AUTHORITY OF THE HKG AND THAT THE APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE WAS CHINA'S MATTER AND DID NOT INFRINGE ON BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG BEFORE 1997.

7.

ACCORDING TO CHINESE SOURCES QUOTED BY SING TAO DAILY (24.6), THE CHINESE HAD ORIGINALLY PREFERRED WANG HANBIN TO QIAN QICHEN FOR THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE WORKING COMMITTEE. THEY HAD THOUGHT APPOINTING QIAN MIGHT EXERT PRESSURE. ON THE BRITISH SIDE AND CAUSE DIFFICULTIES TO THE TALKS IN PEKING. BUT GIVEN THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN THE TALKS, THE CHINESE SIDE HAD DECIDED AFTER THE FIFTH ROUND TO APPOINT QIAN SO AS TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST. ANOTHER CONSIDERATION WAS THAT QIAN WOULD FACILITATE CO-ORDINATION AMONG THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED ON THE COMMITTEE.

8.

THE PAPERS (25.6) WIDELY REPORTED REMARKS MADE BY LU PING DURING A MEETING WITH A MEETING POINT DELEGATION. ACCORDING TO SOME PAPERS, LU SAID THAT BRITAIN COULD HAVE NO SAY IN THE FORMATION OF THE PC, OR ITS PREPARATORY WORKING COMMITTEE. POINT DELEGATES QUOTED LU AS SAYING THAT MEMBERSHIP OF THE PC WOULD NOT BE THE SAME AS THAT OF ITS WORKING COMMITTEE.

MEETING

9. SCMP REPORTED (25.6) THAT THE WORKING COMMITTEE WOULD DISCUSS A

PLAN TO OPEN AN OFFICE IN HONG KONG OR SHENZHEN IN ITS FIRST MEETING NEXT MONTH. HONG KONG NOMINEE DOROTHY LIU SUPPORTED THE IDEA, WHILE LO TAK-SHING WAS CONCERNED THAT ESTABLISHING AN OFFICE IN HONG KONG WOULD DAMAGE HKG'S ADMINISTRATIVE ABILITY.

NEW AIRPORT

10. JOHN ELLISON OF THE ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS REPORTED (25.6) FROM LONDON THAT WHETHER PROGRESS COULD BE MADE IN THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE AIRPORT COULD BE A KEY FACTOR IN BRITAIN'S DECISION WHETHER TO CONTINUE WITH THE TALKS IN PEKING. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, SENIOR OFFICIALS IN LONDON HAD NOTED THAT THE FINANCIAL PACKAGE HAD TO BE RESOLVED IN AUTUMN AT THE LATEST, THAT THE PROJECT WAS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE WITH AN AGREEMENT ON

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND

THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED (25.6) CHINESE SOURCES AS

THAT WHILE THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NOT INSIST THAT THE SIZE

11.

SAYING