TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 76

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WITH HIS REFORM PACKAGE ACCORDING TO HIS DIARY. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BL AFTER 1997. THE CHINESE SIDE CRITICISED THE BRITISH SIDE FOR INSISTING ON A CIVIL SERVICE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY WHICH HAD PUSHED THE TALKS TO A DEAD END. ON THE THROUGH TRAIN, THE SOURCES REITERATED THE BRITISH SIDE SHOULD FIRST GUARANTEE THAT LEGISLATORS ELECTED IN 1995 WOULD FIT BL STIPULATIONS SO THAT THEY COULD BE CONFIRMED BY THE SARPC.

9. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE NCNA, HK BRANCH, ZHANG JUNSHENG CRITICISED THE BRITISH SIDE (9.9) FOR CREATING A NEW PROBLEM OF CIVIL SERVANTS' PARTICIPATION IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES WHILE THE TALKS WERE GOING ON. ZHANG ALSO SAID FOR LEGISLATORS TO BOARD THE THROUGH TRAIN, THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS HAD TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 'THREE CONFORMITIES' AND THOSE ELECTED SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE UNDER THE STIPULATIONS OF THE BL AND THE NPC AND BE RECOGNISED BY THE SARPC.

10. THE CONCLUSION OF THE 11TH ROUND WITH NO PROGRESS WAS GIVEN GOOD COVERAGE (10.9). IT WAS NOTED ONLY ONE MORE ROUND WOULD BE HELD BEFORE THE MINISTERIAL MEETING. THE PAPERS QUOTED SIR ROBIN AS SAYING THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE TALKS HAD BEEN COURTEOUS. SOME PAPERS QUOTED HIM AS ADMITTING THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL GAP.

11. THE PAPERS QUOTED A DAILY TELEGRAPH REPORT AS SAYING (10.9) THE TALKS WERE CLOSE TO BREAKING DOWN AS THE CHINESE SIDE HAD VETOED ALL THE PROPOSALS MADE BY THE BRITISH SIDE, INCLUDING THE LOWERING OF THE VOTING AGE TO 18. THIS WAS HOWEVER DENIED BY THE FCO WHO SAID THE TALKS WOULD CONTINUE. SING TAO DAILY QUOTED A HKG SOURCE AS SAYING THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD CONTINUE TO ADOPT A POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE TALKS DESPITE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES OVER THE NINE NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND THE THROUGH TRAIN. THE PAPER QUOTED ANOTHER SOURCE AS SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD ANNOUNCE A BREAKDOWN OF THE TALKS IF THE BRITISH SIDE COULD NOT GIVE A GOOD EXPLANATION AT THE COMING JLG MEETINGS ON THE ISSUE OF CIVIL SERVANTS PARTICIPATING IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.

12. ACCORDING TO THE ECONOMIC JOURNAL (10.9) THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT MADE ANY NEW PROPOSALS IN THE 11TH ROUND AND ONLY REITERATED THEY COULD NOT ACCEPT THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE IN DISGUISE. IF THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT GIVE UP THEIR PROPOSAL OF FORMING A NEW FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THE TALKS TO PROCEED. THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT INTEND

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