TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 140

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176633

MDHIAN 5843

6. BOTH THE SCMP AND WAH KIU YAT PO UNDERSTOOD THAT WHILE THE CHINESE SIDE WERE WILLING TO ADOPT A PIECEMEAL APPROACH DEALING FIRST WITH THE MORE URGENT ISSUES, THE BRITISH SIDE HAD RESISTED THE IDEA FOR FEAR THAT IT WOULD DELAY A COMPREHENSIVE AGREEMENT.

7. A NUMBER OF PAPERS CARRIED A REPORT WHICH QUOTED PEKING SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE WERE DISSATISFIED WITH THE CHANGES IN ATTITUDE OF THE BRITISH SIDE DURING THE TALKS. THE BRITISH POSITION ON THE 1090 EXCHANGES WAS UNACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE SIDE. THE CHINESE SIDE FELT THAT AS THE BL DID NOT SPECIFY THE METHOD OF ELECTING DB MEMBERS, THE PROPORTION OF DIRECTLY ELECTED MEMBERS COULD BE DISCUSSED. WHAT THE CHINESE OBJECTED TO WAS THE TOTAL ABOLITION OF APPOINTED SEATS, WHICH WAS OBVIOUSLY INTENDED TO SERVE AS THE BASIS FOR THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL FOR THE EC. ACCORDING TO THE SOURCES, THE REASON FOR THE LACK OF PROGRESS WAS BRITISH REFUSAL TO DEAL SEPARATELY WITH ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 94 AND 95 ELECTIONS. SCMP QUOTED PEKING SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD CONCLUDED FROM THE PAST ROUNDS OF TALKS THAT THEY COULD NOT RELY ON THE CO-OPERATION OF BRITAIN TO ENSURE A SMOOTH

TRANSITION.

8.

COMMENTARIES IN THE LEFT-WING PRESS CONTINUED TO REPLAY CHINESE LINES ON LACK OF SINCERITY ON THE PART OF THE BRITISH SIDE: ON IMPORTANCE OF THE THREE CONFORMITIES: AND THAT CHINA WAS PREPARED FOR THE WORST CASE SCENARIO BY ESTABLISHING THE WORK ORGAN OF THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE.

JLG

9.

MANY PAPERS NOTED THAT THE LEADERS OF THE TWO SIDES HAD NOT SPOKEN TO THE PRESS AFTER THE MEETING, AND THAT THE ATMOSPHERE HAD NOT BEEN GOOD. MING PAO LEARNT THAT CT9 WOULD BE DISCUSSED TODAY BUT ACCORDING TO BRITISH SOURCES, NO BREAKTHROUGH WAS EXPECTED. SCMP QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT CHINA CONSIDERED TIME WAS NOT RIPE TO GIVE BLESSING TO THE CT9 PROJECT DURING THE CURRENT JLG, BUT BOTH SIDES WERE QUOTE MOVING TOWARDS THE DIRECTION OF A SETTLEMENT UNQUOTE. THE SOURCE ALSO SAID THAT WHILE THE TWO MATTERS WERE NOT TOTALLY UNRELATED GREEN LIGHT ON CT9 DID NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A FULL SOLUTION OF THE POLITICAL TALKS.

LEGCO PANEL

10. THE PAPERS REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE DISCUSSIONS AT THE

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