TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 228

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CHINA'S INSISTENCE ON A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND THE PRINCIPLE OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS WOULD REMAIN UNCHANGED.

ZHANG JUNSHENG

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SOME PAPERS NOTED THAT NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHANG JUNSHENG HAD REITERATED THAT THE TALKS MUST BE CONDUCTED ON THE BASIS OF THE THREE COMPLIANCES. HE SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WAS CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC AND HOPED THAT THE TALKS WOULD ACHIEVE RESULTS.

ON

THE THROUGH TRAIN, ZHANG REPEATED THAT THE NPC DECISION ON THE BL HAD ALREADY MADE CLEAR THE ISSUE.

XIAO WEIYUN

5. MING PAO QUOTED FORMER BASIC LAW DRAFTER XIAO WEIYUN AS SAYING THAT THE CURRENT TALKS SHOULD FOCUS ONLY ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR LEGCO ELECTIONS, AND NOT ON DIPLOMATIC MATTERS. HE SAID AS THE THROUGH TRAIN WOULD STRADDLE 1997, IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A DIPLOMATIC ISSUE.

WANG QIREN

6.

WANG QIREN TOLD A COMMUNITY GROUP FROM HONG KONG YESTERDAY THAT THE DOOR WAS OPEN FOR TALKS ON THE NEW AIRPORT. IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A NEW PROPOSAL ON FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS, THE

CHINESE WOULD BE PREPARED TO HOLD DISCUSSIONS ON THE BASIS OF THE

MOU. HE SAID THAT THE NEW AIRPORT SHOULD BE BUILT ACCORDING TO THE PRINCIPLE OF LOW COST AND HIGH RETURN AND SHOULD BE

BENEFICIAL TO HONG KONG IN THE LONG RUN.

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