TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 317

UNCLASSIFIED

066065

MDLIAN 1931

STATEMENT ACCUSED THE BRITISH SIDE OF TAKING A FURTHER STEP TO BREACH THE JD, BL AND SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENTS/UNDERSTANDINGS. THE STATEMENT CLAIMED THE CHINESE SIDE, IN THE COURSE OF CONSULTATION ON THE PREPARATION FOR THE TALKS, HAD ALREADY AGREED HKG OFFICIALS COULD SUPPORT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE AS ADVISERS OR EXPERTS. THIS SHOWED THE SINCERITY OF THE CHINESE SIDE. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ALSO REPEATEDLY STRESSED IF THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL WAS PUBLISHED IN THE FORM OF DRAFT LEGISLATION AND INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO PRIOR TO AGREEMENT WAS REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, IT WOULD ONLY CREATE OBSTACLES FOR TALKS. THE STATEMENT ACCUSED THE BRITISH SIDE OF IGNORING THE POSITION OF THE CHINESE SIDE AND WENT AHEAD WITH INTRODUCING THE DRAFT LEGISLATION INTO LEGCO, IN AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A FAIT ACCOMPLI AND MAKE THE CHINESE SIDE ACCEPT IT. THE STATEMENT CLAIMED SUCH ACTION WOULD ONLY DEMONSTRATE THE BRITISH SIDE'S COMPLETE LACK OF SINCERITY AND DELIBERATE SABOTAGE OF TALKS. THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE SERIOUS

CONSEQUENCES ARISING FROM SUCH A MOVE.

4.

NCNA ISSUED A SIGNED COMMENTARY FROM PEKING LATE ON 13 MARCH ACCUSING THE BRITISH WERE LYING WHEN THEY SAID THEY WERE SECURING A SAY FOR HK PEOPLE. THE BRITISH MOVE WAS IN FACT AN ATTEMPT TO GROOM ITS REPRESENTATIVES THROUGH WHOM BRITISH INFLUENCE AND CONTROL OVER HK COULD BE CONTINUED AFTER 1997. THE BASIS FOR TALKS HAD BEEN DESTROYED BY THE BRITISH SIDE. NOW THAT TALKS COULD NO LONGER PROCEED, THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD BE HELD ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE CONSEQUENCES.

5.

MING PAO AND SING TAO DAILY QUOTED (13.3) THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN AS SAYING IN CHILE THE HK QUESTION WAS RESOLVED A LONG TIME AGO WHEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON IMPLEMENTING THE BL IN THE HKSAR AFTER 1997. BUT THE GOVERNOR HAD TAKEN SOME ACTIONS AND CREATED PROBLEMS WHICH CONTRAVENED THE JD AND BL. THE HKMAO FIRST DEPARTMENT HEAD, CHEN ZUOER SAID IN GUANGZHOU ANY INTENTION TO TURN HK INTO AN INSTRUMENT TO CONFRONT THE CHINESE WAS QUESTIONABLE AND WOULD NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO THE INTERESTS OF HK. A VICE DIRECTOR OF NCNA HK ZHENG JUNSHENG ACCUSED THE GOVERNOR FOR INSISTING TO DESTROY SINO-BRITISH CO-OPERATION BY GAZETTING HIS ''THREE CONTRAVENTIONS'' LEGISLATION, AND SAID THE GOVERNOR SHOULD SHOULDER THE SERIOUS HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY RESULTING FROM THIS MOVE. MR ZHENG CLAIMED GAZETTAL HAD MADE FURTHER SINO- BRITISH COMMUNICATIONS AND TALKS IMPOSSIBLE. ANOTHER VICE DIRECTOR ZHENG GUOXIONG ACCUSED THE GOVERNOR FOR DESTROYING THE