TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 102

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THAT SOME OF THE PROPOSALS COULD BE AMENDED. THERE WERE HOWEVER SOME BOTTOMLINES: THE ELECTION COMMITTEE COULD NOT BE FORMED BY A

''APPOINTMENT : THE NEW FCS SHOULD HAVE A

DISGUISED FORM OF

BROADER FRANCHISE: AND THE ELECTORAL PROCEDURES SHOULD BE DEMOCRATIC.

5. QUOTING SOURCES CLOSE TO THE BRITISH SIDE, A FEW PAPERS NOTED THAT OTHER THAN DISCUSSIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES, S OF S ALSO HOPED TO SPEED UP THE WORK OF THE JLG, INCLUDING THE CT9 ISSUE. QUOTING SOURCES CLOSE TO THE CHINESE SIDE, THE HK DAILY NEWS SAID THAT BOTH SIDES MIGHT MAKE CONCESSIONS IN THE SEVENTH ROUND. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD STRIVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE BRITISH SIDE, INCLUDING A DEFINITION OF THE NINE NEW FCS AND WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE EC BE DISCUSSED BY THE JLG.

6.

ZHENG GUOXIONG OF NCNA HK WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT AS LONG AS THE TWO SIDES COULD STICK TO THE ''THREE CONFORMITIES'', POSITIVE RESULTS COULD BE ACHIEVED FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. SHOULD THE BRITISH DEVIATE FROM THIS PATH, IT WOULD ONLY CREATE OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS AND THAT WOULD NOT BE TO THE INTEREST OF HK PEOPLE.

7.

SENIOR CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE TO THE LAND COMMISSION SUN YANHENG, SAID THAT THE ISSUE OF CT9 HAD TO BE DISCUSSED BY THE JLG FIRST BEFORE THE LAND GRANT COULD BE STUDIED IN THE LC.

8.

QUOTING PEKING SOURCES, ATV REPORTED ON 2 JULY THAT THE CHINESE SIDE RECEIVED A PROPOSAL FROM BRITAIN LAST WEEK ON THE MINISTERIAL VISIT. ACCORDING TO THE SOURCES THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED TO SEE QUICKER PROGRESS AFTER S OF S'S VISIT.

9.

COMMENTARIES IN THE LOCAL PRESS GENERALLY BELIEVED THAT S OF S'S TRIP TO CHINA WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE ON-GOING POLITICAL TALKS. THE LEFT-WING HK COMMERCIAL DAILY SAID THAT IF BRITAIN DEMONSTRATED SINCERITY THROUGH CONCRETE ACTIONS, S OF S'S VISIT WOULD HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE NEGOTIATIONS. TA KUNG PAO WARNED AGAINST ANY UNILATERAL ACTION BY THE HKG TO TABLE THE REFORM BILLS IN LEGCO. THE PAPER SAID THAT S OF S'S VISIT AND THE SEVENTH ROUND WOULD BEAR POSITIVE RESULTS IF THE BRITISH SIDE RETURNED TO THE THREE CONFORMITIES.

DEFENCE LANDS

10.

A FEW PAPERS CARRIED A SUMMARY OF AN ARTICLE IN THE JULY ISSUE

2

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