TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 116

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01 JUL 1993

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DESK OF DER

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FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1058

OF 29114OZ JUNE 93

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

p.a. Combat

Press Roundups

015143

MDHIAN 6855

TOP CODY Q DIST?

150

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT : PRESS REPORTS

CABINET MEETING

1.

MANY PAPERS CARRIED REPORTS ON THE FORTHCOMING CABINET MEETING. SING PAO REPORTED THAT BESIDES PROGRESS. OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS, THE MEETING WOULD ALSO DISCUSS WORK OF THE JLG AND FUTURE STRATEGY FOR THE AIRPORT TALKS. THE ORIENTAL DAILY AND MING PAO BELIEVED THAT THE CABINET WOULD AGREE TO SET SEPTEMBER AS THE

DEADLINE FOR THE TALKS. UNITED DAILY NEWS REPORTED FCO SPOKESMAN

AS SAYING THAT SPECULATIONS ON THE CABINET MEETING WERE MEANINGLESS, AS BRITAIN WOULD MAKE A WISE DECISION HAVING REGARD TO BOTH THE PROGRESS OF THE TALKS AND THE FACT THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS COULD NOT GO ON INDEFINITELY.

2. HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT BRITAIN AND HKG WERE LIKELY TO STAND FIRM ON THE GOVERNOR'S POLITICAL PACKAGE, AS BACKTRACKING AT THIS JUNCTURE MIGHT PUT FURTHER PRESSURE ON THE ALREADY SHAKY POSITION OF THE CONSERVATIVE

PARTY GOVERNMENT. THE CHINESE WORRY WAS THAT A DEADLINE WOULD BE SET FOR THE TALKS, AND THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD THEN HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW TO RESPOND.

TALKS

3.

HK ECONOMIC TIMES ATTEMPTED TO GIVE AN ANALYSIS ON THE BRITISH STRATEGY AT THE TALKS. THE PAPER CONSIDERED THE BRITISH PROPOSALS ON THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE, THE SELECTION COMMITTEE (FOR THE CE) AND THE 2007 ELECTION OF THE LEGISLATURE AS BEING UNREASONABLE, FALLING OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF THE TALKS AND INFRINGING ON THE INTERNAL AFFAIRS OF THE PRC. THE PAPER SPECULATED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE MIGHT HAVE MADE SUCH UNREASONABLE DEMANDS IN ORDER TO SHOW

THAT THEIR PROPOSALS FOR THE 94/95 ELECTIONS WERE NOT TOO UNREASONABLE. ANOTHER POSSIBILITY WAS THAT BRITAIN'S REAL REASON WAS NOT THE 94/95 ELECTIONS, BUT TO RE-OPEN NEGOTIATIONS ON THE BL. IN THE LATTER CASE IT WAS VERY LIKELY THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD

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