TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 128

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par frase Komody

012077

MDHIAN 6658

48

HKB 301/2

RECE!

01 JUL 1993

ISTRY

DESK.0: :1

INDEX

PA

REGISTRY Action Taken

TOP COPY Q DIST?

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

FM HONG KONG

TELNO 1049

OF 28110OZ JUNE 93

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: PRESS REPORTS.

TALKS.

1.

SCMP REPORTED THAT LU PING HAD TOLD THE VISITING MEETING POINT DELEGATION THAT CHINA WOULD STAND FIRM ON THE THROUGH TRAIN, FC ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. ACCORDING TO A DELEGATE, LU SAID THAT HE WAS READY TO MAKE CERTAIN CONCESSIONS IN THE TALKS AND WAS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE OUTCOME. LU TOLD THE DELEGATION THAT

CHINA COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT ALL LEGISLATORS IN 1995 WOULD SIT ON THE 1997 LEGISLATURE. AS FOR THE EC, IT SHOULD COMPOSE FOUR SECTORS INSTEAD OF ELECTED DB MEMBERS ALONE, BUT 'IT MUST BE ELECTED AND NOT BE APPOINTED'. THE PAPER ALSO QUOTED A BRITISH SOURCE AS

HINTING THAT PROGRESS AT THE SIXTH ROUND WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONCESSIONS FROM BOTH SIDES.

2. THE PAPERS ON SUNDAY REPORTED THAT IN AN INTERVIEW WITH BBC

THE GOVERNOR HAD SAID THAT GREATER PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE IN THE SIXTH ROUND THAN THE PREVIOUS ROUNDS. REFERRING TO THE SUGGESTION THAT THE DRAFT LEGISLATION ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS BE PUT TO LEGCO NOW, THE GOVERNOR SAID THIS WAS NOT THE VIEW OF THE COMMUNITY AS EXPRESSED IN SOME RECENT POLLS. DURING THE CABINET MEETING HE WOULD RAISE THE MATTER OF TIME CONSTRAINTS, BUT WOULD NOT BE SETTING DEADLINES.

CABINET MEETING.

3. SOME PAPERS CARRIED A REPORT IN THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, WHICH

QUOTED OFFICIAL SOURCES IN LONDON AS SAYING THAT THE GOVERNOR HOPED THAT THE CABINET MEETING WOULD CONFIRM HIS DEMOCRACY STRATEGY AND AGREE TO ADOPT A TOUGH STANCE IF NECESSARY TO DEFEND IT. THE PAPER HOWEVER LEARNT THAT MAJORITY MEMBERS OF THE CABINET AND THE FCO WERE IN FAVOUR OF STRIKING A COMPROMISE WITH CHINA, AND THE SOURCES EXPECTED THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD HAVE TO ACCEPT AMENDMENTS

TO HIS CONSTITUTIONAL PROPOSALS IN EXCHANGE FOR BETTER SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.

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