TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 12

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Press Roundy's

12710473

MDLIAN 417!

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1834

OF 031055Z DECEMBER 1993

ика 30112.

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK,

INFO HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, HKGO GENEVA

PART ONE OF TWO

HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (27.11 -3.12)

SUMMARY

The Governor's announcement that partial Bill would be gazetted shortly and tabled in Legco on 15 December was prominently covered; as was reaction to the announcement, especially from the Chinese side.

Sino-British Talks

2.

Chinese JLG team Leader Guo Fengmin was quoted as saying (27.11) even if no agreement was reached in the talks, 'the sky would not fall down".

3. Prominent coverage were accorded (29.11) to the 17th round which ended without reaching a first-stage agreement. A number of papers noted the talks might break off.

4. The HK Economic Journal (29.11) quoted British sources saying the British side decided to end the first-stage negotiations and to start discussions with the Chinese side on more complex issues concerning the LegCo elections. The Government would have to table a partial Bill in Legco within a short time in preparation of the three-tier elections.

5. Wen Wei Po (28.11) quoted a source as claiming that in the 17th round, the British representative had suddenly announced the termination of the ''first-stage'' negotiations as the Chinese side were exercising greater flexibility and making more concessions.

6.

The HK Economic times and Wah Kiu Yat Po (29.11) quoted a Chinese official as warning if the British side tabled the reform

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