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MDLIAN 4816 ›
CHINESE SIDE HAD TABLED A COUNTER PROPOSAL ON THE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES WHICH INCLUDED TEXTILE ASSOCIATIONS, FOREIGN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND CHINESE ENTERPRISES ASSOCIATION. THE PAPER ALSO LEARNT THE CHINESE SIDE PUT FORWARD A SPECIFIC PROPOSAL ON THE FORMATION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE. WAH KIU YAT PO LEARNT FROM SOURCES CLOSE TO THE CHINESE SIDE THE ELECTION COMMITTEE HAD TO BE FORMED ON THE BASIS OF THE FOUR SECTORS STIPULATED IN THE BL, BUT THE CHINESE SIDE WERE WILLING TO BE AS DEMOCRATIC AS POSSIBLE IN THE PROCEDURES FOR FORMING THE COMMITTEE I.E. THE FOUR SECTORS COULD ELECT THEIR OWN REPRESENTATIVES TO SIT ON THE COMMITTEE AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD OPERATE ON A ONE-MAN-ONE-VOTE SYSTEM
IN SELECTING LEGISLATORS.
14. AN ARTICLE IN THE JULY ISSUE OF MIRROR MAGAZINE SAID THE
GOVERNOR'S INSISTENCE ON HIS POLITICAL PACKAGE WAS A PLOT TO FORCE THE CHINESE SIDE TO COME UP WITH COUNTER PROPOSALS WHICH WOULD THEN BE LEAKED TO LEGCO'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL
(8.7). THE PANEL WOULD REJECT THEM AND THIS WOULD ENABLE THE BRITISH SIDE TO START BARGAINING WITH THE CHINESE SIDE AGAIN. THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL WOULD BE GIVEN UP BUT THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD BE FORCED TO INCORPORATE THREE THINGS INTO THEIR PROPOSALS: AN UNCONDITIONAL THROUGH TRAIN, BRITISH PARTICIPATION IN THE SAR PREPATORY COMMITTEE, AND CHINESE COMMITMENT TO FULL DIRECT ELECTIONS IN 2007. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDED THIS WAS A CLEAR ATTEMPT BY BRITAIN TO EXTEND ITS RULE IN HONG KONG BEYOND 1997.
15. A FEW PAPERS WERE HOWEVER MORE POSITIVE ABOUT THE EIGHTH
ROUND, THE EXPRESS, QUOTING SOURCES (8.7) STATED THE CHINESE SIDE MIGHT GIVE TACIT AGREEMENT TO THE PUBLICATION OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994 ELECTIONS IN ADVANCE OF AN OVERALL AGREEMENT. THE
PAPER HOWEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT THE BRITISH SIDE STILL HOPED TO SORT OUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR BOTH THE 1994 AND 1995 ELECTIONS TOGETHER.
16. THE UNITED DAILY (8.7) QUOTED CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THERE WOULD BE GOOD RESULTS IN THE EIGHTH ROUND AND THE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS THAT CHINA HAD RECENTLY ENCOUNTERED WOULD NOT AFFECT HONG KONG ISSUES.
END OF PART ONE OF TWO PARTS
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