TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 129

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MDHIAN 6658

4.

SEVERAL PAPERS CARRIED A REPORT IN THE SUNDAY MORNING POST THAT A CABINET BRIEFING PAPER RECOMMENDED THAT TALKS SHOULD CONTINUE UNTIL AT LEAST SEPTEMBER. ACCORDING TO THE PAPER, THE PM AND THE GOVERNOR WERE IRRITATED AT THE STALLING TACTICS (OF THE CHINESE SIDE). A LONDON SOURCE TOLD THE PAPER THAT THE REAL ISSUE AT THE MEETING WAS WHETHER TO TURN THE AUTUMN EXTENSION INTO A DEADLINE AND WHETHER, AT THE SAME TIME, TO ANNOUNCE A CLOSING DATE FOR THE TALKS.

PREPARATORY WORKING COMMITTEE.

5. FORMER BLDC MEMBER AND NOMINEE TO THE PREPARATORY WORKING

COMMITTEE WU JIANFAN SAID THAT PRIMARY TASKS OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO EXAMINE ISSUES RELATED TO THE SETTING UP OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE: TO SCRUTINISE WHETHER EXISTING LAWS WERE COMPATIBLE WITH THE BL AND TO CONSIDER ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE STATIONING OF PLA IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997, INCLUDING PROVISIONS OF BARRACKS AND FACILITIES FOR THE TROOPS. ON THE CFRA, WU SAID THAT IT WOULD BE BEST IF THE JLG AGREEMENT WAS ADHERED TO. IF NOT, THE WORKING COMMITTEE MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE UP THE MATTER AS WELL.

6. BOTH THE ORIENTAL DAILY AND THE EXPRESS LEARNT THAT THE

NPC STANDING COMMITTEE HAD ALREADY DISCUSSED THE DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON THE SETTING UP OF THE WORKING COMMITTEE, WHICH WERE EXPECTED TO BE PASSED ON 2 JULY. HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE WORKING COMMITTEE WOULD HOLD ITS FIRST MEETING ON 17 JULY IN PEKING WHEN HONG KONG MEMBERS WOULD RECEIVE THEIR APPOINTMENT LETTERS. DISCUSSED THE DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ON THE SETTING UP OF THE AIRPORT.

7.

A NUMBER OF PAPERS QUOTED HKG SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD LIKE TO SEEK EARLY AGREEMENTS TO THE CENTRAL/WANCHAI RECLAMATION AND THE AIRPORT RAILWAY AT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD ON 30 JUNE. ACCORDING TO SING PAO'S SOURCES, THE CHINESE CONSIDERED THAT THE NATURE OF THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING, THE AIRPORT AND THE AIRPORT RAILWAY WERE DIFFERENT: WHILST THE FORMER WAS FUNDED BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISES, THE LATTER TWO PROJECTS WOULD INVOLVE GOVERNMENT FUNDS. THE SOURCES SAID THAT THE ATTITUDE OF THE CHINESE SIDE TOWARDS THE AIRPORT FINANCING PACKAGE REMAINED UNCHANGED. MING PAO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BRITISH WOULD ASK FOR CHINESE AGREEMENTS ON THE PROJECTS IN ADVANCE OF RESOLUTION OF THE QUESTION OF FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS. THE PAPER QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE

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