TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 218

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MDHIAN

(III)

PAPER:

THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE SHOULD BE IN LINE WITH BASIC LAW STIPULATIONS.

4. THE SOURCES SAID THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD AGREED ON THE FIRST PRINCIPLE. ON THE PROPOSED FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES, THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT AGREE THAT THEY WERE DIRECT ELECTIONS IN DISGUISE, BUT THEY HOPED TO KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT AN EXPANSION OF THE FC'S WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE. ON THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, THE BRITISH SIDE IN PRINCIPLE ACCEPTED THAT IT SHOULD BE FORMED BY THE FOUR CATEGORIES AS LAID DOWN IN THE BL, BUT THEY HOPED THAT THE GROUPING OF VOTERS AND THE ELECTORAL METHODS FOR THE FOUR CATEGORIES WOULD MEET THE PRINCIPLES OF FAIRNESS AND OPENNESS.

5.

ON THE OTHER HAND, HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL (23 MAY) UNDERSTOOD THAT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES HAD NOT BEEN NARROWED IN THE THIRD ROUND. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THAT BOTH SIDES WERE STILL DWELLING ON MATTERS OF PRINCIPLE RELATING TO THE THREE COMPLIANCES AND THE THROUGH TRAIN. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT RAISED ANY CONCRETE PROPOSALS FOR 1995. NOR HAD THE BRITISH SIDE PUT FORWARD ANY PACKAGE DIFFERENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S.

6.

THE REPORT SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT REFUSED OUTRIGHT AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE TO DISCUSS THE THROUGH TRAIN ISSUE, BUT HAD BASED THEIR ARGUMENTS ON BL STIPULATIONS. THE REPORT ADDED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WERE WORRIED THAT IF CRITERIA FOR 'TICKET INSPECTION' FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN WERE LAID DOWN TOO EARLY, CHINESE SIDE MIGHT LOSE CONTROL OVER LEGCO MEMBERS ELECTED IN 1995.

7.

THE

SING TAO DAILY (23 MAY) QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THAT NEGOTIATIONS WERE STILL AT A CAUTIOUS STAGE AS DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BOTH SIDES WERE STILL OBVIOUS.

8.

REPORTS (23 MAY) NOTED THAT ON 22 MAY CHINA DAILY HAD, UNLIKE ITS COVERAGE OF PREVIOUS ROUNDS, CARRIED PICTURES OF THE TWO GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS THE EXPERTS AND

ADVISERS.

9.

QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES (24 MAY) SAID THAT ISSUES ABOUT THE THIRD ROUND HAD TOUCHED UPON MATTERS OF BOTH PRINCIPLES AND SPECIFICS. THE CHINESE NEEDED

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