TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 222

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MDHIAN 749.

THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WAS SINCERE AND SERIOUS ABOUT THE TALKS. HE

HOPED THAT BOTH SIDES COULD RESTORE TRUST AND CO-OPERATION AND

ACHIEVE RESULTS IN NEGOTIATIONS.

SOURCES.

6.

SING TAO DAILY QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES IN PEKING AS SAYING

THAT THE THIRD ROUND OF TALKS WOULD TOUCH ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE

1994/95 ELECTIONS AND THAT THE NEXT JLG MEETING MIGHT BE HELD IN JUNE. ACCORDING TO THE SOURCES, BOTH SIDES HAD DURING PREVIOUS TALKS CONFIRMED SOME PRINCIPLES. THE SOURCES SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS AFTER THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS OF TALKS AND HAD DECIDED TO SEPARATE ECONOMIC ISSUES FROM POLITICS. THE SOURCES SAID 'CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM', A PHRASE USED BY CHINESE OFFICIALS, MEANT THAT THE TALKS WOULD NOT BREAK DOWN. THE SOURCES ALSO SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WERE WILLING TO RECONVENE AC MEETINGS IF THE BRITISH SIDE COULD COME UP WITH ANOTHER FINANCING PROPOSAL

FOR THE NEW AIRPORT.

INTERNATIONALISATION.

7. WEN WEI PO'S EDITORIAL TODAY HIT OUT AT THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON HONG KONG AS AN INTERNATIONAL ASSET. IT SAID THAT THE FACT THAT HONG KONG WAS AN INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND TRADE CENTRE DID NOT IMPLY THAT FOREIGN POWERS COULD SHARE THE ADMINISTRATIVE POWERS OF HONG KONG, WHICH WAS THE ASSET OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE. IT ALSO REFUTED AN ARGUMENT THAT THE HONG KONG QUESTION WAS INEVITABLY INTERNATIONALISED BECAUSE JD WAS REGISTERED WITH THE UN. THE UN REGISTRATION MERELY INDICATED THAT

THE TWO SIDES COULD CARRY OUT OBLIGATIONS AS A UN MEMBER AND IT WAS UP TO THE SIGNATORY POWERS TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT. AN IMPORTANT PROVISION IN THE UN CHARTER WAS THAT MEMBER NATIONS

MUST RESPECT EACH OTHER'S SOVEREIGN RIGHTS.

PATTEN

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