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MDHIAN
THAT EXCO HAD BEEN ##PREPARED FOR THE WORST'' FOR THE TALKS AND CONTENDED THAT THE GOVERNOR STILL DID NOT WANT TO RESOLVE THE 1994/95 ARRANGEMENTS THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS. HE WAS STILL TRYING TO CREATE OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS SO THAT HE COULD PUT HIS PACKAGE TO LEGCO FOR APPROVAL. THE EDITORIAL ASSERTED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WERE STILL ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE AS THE STARTING POINT FOR THE TALKS AND AN UNCONDITIONAL THROUGH TRAIN AS A ROAD BLOCK. THIS WOULD NOT HELP THE NEGOTIATIONS.
6. THE EDITORIAL ALSO REFERRED TO QUAN QICHEN'S EARLIER REMARKS THAT THE QUESTION NOW WAS HOW TO SERIOUSLY IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENTS ALREADY REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, AND NOT THE ''SO-CALLED POLITICAL REFORMS''. IT SAID IF THE BRITISH SIDE WERE WILLING TO IMPLEMENT PREVIOUS AGREEMENTS REACHED, CHINA WOULD THEN DISCUSS THE TECHNICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. AS FOR THE UNCONDITIONAL THROUGH TRAIN, IT WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE TALKS. THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD RESPECT THE SOVEREIGNTY PRINCIPLE UNDER THE BASIC LAW IF THEY WANTED CONVERGENCE WITH THE BL. BRITAIN'S DEMAND TO DO AWAY WITH THE ''TICKET INSPECTION SYSTEM' FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN HAD VIOLATED THE BL AND MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE BRITISH WERE NOT SINCERE IN HOLDING TALKS ON THE BASIS OF THE THREE COMPLIANCES.
NEW AIRPORT
7. ORIENTAL DAILY NEWS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CHINESE SIDE FELT THAT POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE AIRPORT PROJECT WERE TWO DIFFERENT. THEY DID NOT NEED TO WAIT FOR SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN THE POLITICAL TALKS BEFORE THEY DISCUSSED WITH US THE NEW AIRPORT. THE CHINESE COULD SEE THE REAL URGENCY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW AIRPORT. THEIR CURRENT STRATEGY WAS THEREFORE TO URGE THE BRITISH TO COME UP WITH A THIRD FINANCING PROPOSAL ON THE BASIS OF THE MOU. IF THIS FAILED, THE CHINESE WOULD CONSIDER WHETHER, AS A LAST RESORT, THE HUANGTIAN AIRPORT SHOULD BE USED IN PLACE
OF CHEK LAP KOK.
PATTEN
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