TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 282

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CHENG YIU TONG SAID THE TIMING SHOULD DEPEND ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE BRITISH SIDE. COMMENTING ON THE SAME SUBJECT, LEGISLATOR AND HK AFFAIRS ADVISER ALLEN LEE SAID THAT THE SETTING UP OF THE ORGANISATION WOULD BE DAMAGING TO HK WHILE ANOTHER ADVISER CHEUNG YAN LUNG SAID THAT HE WOULD ASK THE CHINESE NOT TO RUSH INTO THE SETTING UP OF THE ORGANISATION. SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT WHETHER THE ORGANISATION WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION WOULD DEPEND ON WHAT IT DID.

MEETING OF HONG KONG AFFAIRS ADVISERS WITH CHINESE SENIOR

OFFICIALS

MOST PAPERS (2.4) CARRIED REPORTS ON THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST AND SECOND BATCH OF HK AFFAIRS ADVISERS IN PEKING. REPORTS NOTED THAT THEY WOULD BE DIVIDED INTO SIX SMALL GROUPS FOR DISCUSSION WITH HKMAO AND NCNA HK BRANCH OFFICIALS AND THAT THE PRELIMINARY WORK ORGANISATION FOR THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE WOULD TOP THE AGENDA.

5. PAPERS (3.4) CARRIED REPORTS ON THE MEETING OF THE FIRST AND SECOND BATCHES OF HK AFFAIRS ADVISERS WITH SENIOR CHINESE OFFICIALS IN PEKING. JIANG ZEMIN WAS REPORTED TO HAVE URGED THE ADVISERS TO GIVE MORE OPINIONS ON THE PREPARATORY WORK FOR A SMOOTH TRANSITION OF HK. LI PENG WAS REPORTED TO HAVE ACCUSED THE BRITISH SIDE OF CAUSING THE CURRENT IMPASSE BY CLOSING THE DOOR OF TALKS. HE STRESSED THAT CHINESE POLICY TOWARDS HK WOULD NOT CHANGE: CHINA WOULD CONTINUE TO ABIDE BY THE JD, BL AND THE UNDERSTANDINGS AND AGREEMENTS REACHED WITH THE BRITISH.

6. LU PING WAS QUOTED AS SAYING IN A DISCUSSION SESSION WITH THE ADVISERS THAT IF THE BRITISH SIDE DECIDED TO INTRODUCE THE REFORM BILL INTO LEGCO IT WOULD NOT ONLY PLACE THE DOOR OF TALKS UNDER LOCK AND SEAL BUT WOULD ALSO THROW THE KEY TO THE DOOR INTO THE SEA. THE GOVERNOR SHOULD NOT HARBOUR ANY UNREALISTIC HOPE THAT HE COULD NEGOTIATE WITH THE CHINESE AFTER INTRODUCING THE BILL TO LEGCO. HE ADDED THAT THE CHINESE DOOR OF THE TALKS HAD ALWAYS BEEN KEPT OPEN. HE DESCRIBED AS UNTENABLE THE ARGUMENT THAT SHOULD HK OFFICIALS TAKE PART IN THE TALKS AS ADVISERS AND EXPERTS THE STATUS OF HK WOULD BE DOWN-GRADED. HE SAID THIS WAS AN EXCUSE BY THE BRITISH TO SABOTAGE THE TALKS.

GOVERNOR

7. MANY PAPERS (1.4) REPORTED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD LEFT FOR EUROPE AND WOULD MEET THE PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE TO REVIEW UK'S POLICY TOWARDS HK. SOME PAPERS PLAYED UP HIS

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