TNAG-2770-FCO40-3987-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 33

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MDHIAN 9607

CATEGORIES IF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH

BL STIPULATIONS.

5. THE UNITED DAILY NEWS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD

RAISED NEW PROPOSALS RELATING TO THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTION AT THE TALKS. THE PAPER REPORTED THAT THOSE PROPOSALS WERE DIFFERENT FROM THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE, INDICATING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WAS WILLING TO RETURN TO THE ''THREE CONFORMITIES'' IN EXCHANGE FOR OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR THE

* THROUGH TRAIN''

6. MING PAO UNDERSTOOD THAT THE CHINESE SIDE BASICALLY AGREED THAT

THE ELECTORAL LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE TO PROCEED BY SEPTEMBER AT THE

LATEST. THE CHINESE SIDE HOWEVER FELT THAT TO DRAW UP REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ''THROUGH TRAIN'' BEFORE SEPTEMBER MIGHT BE A BIT OF A RUSH AND WAS THEREFORE INCLINED TO MAKE A PLEDGE TO THE BRITISH SIDE AT

THE TALKS THAT THE NPC WOULD GIVE CLEAR GUIDELINES FOR THE ''THROUGH TRAIN' BEFORE THE 1995 ELECTIONS. THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD HOWEVER STILL URGE THE CHINESE SIDE TO COME UP WITH THE CRITERIA BEFORE THE CONCLUSION OF THE TALKS TO ENSURE THAT THEY WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE BRITISH SIDE.

7. QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, THE HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL SAID THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD REITERATE ITS STAND ON THE 'THROUGH TRAIN'' QUESTION IN THIS ROUND OF TALKS. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD CONSIDER FORMULATING THE OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR THE ''THROUGH TRAIN'' WHICH HAD TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE SARPC IN 1996. THE PAPER REPORTED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED TO HANDLE ISSUES CONCERNING FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS AND THE ELECTION COMMITTEE FIRST AS THE TWO SIDES HAD WIDE DIFFERENCES OVER THE 'THROUGH TRAIN'' QUESTION. THE PAPER ALSO QUOTED BRITISH SOURCES AS SAYING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE COULD ACCEPT ''TICKET INSPECTION' BY THE SARPC PROVIDED THAT THE CRITERIA FOR THE INSPECTION WERE OBJECTIVE, OPEN, FAIR AND MADE PUBLIC BEFORE THE 1995 ELECTIONS.

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8. HK COMMERCIAL DAILY BELIEVED THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD ISSUE GUIDELINES WHICH WOULD EXCLUDE THE FEW PEOPLE WHO BURNT THE BL

WHILE ALL OTHER LEGISLATORS COULD RIDE THE THROUGH TRAIN.

9.

EXCO MEMBER RAYMOND CHIEN WAS QUOTED AS EXPECTING THAT MORE PROGRESS WOULD BE ACHIEVED AT THIS ROUND OF TALKS AS BOTH SIDES WOULD ENTER A STAGE OF CONCRETE DISCUSSIONS. QUOTING BRITISH SOURCES, HK ECONOMIC JOURNAL REPORTED THAT BOTH SIDES HAD STARTED DETAILED DISCUSSIONS ON ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. HOWEVER,

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