TNAG-2771-FCO40-3988-Coverage-of-Sino-British-talks-in-the-Hong-Kong-press-1993 — Page 79

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0407 MDLIAN 6.6

OF SAR PASSPORTS. CHINA WOULD DISCUSS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS WITH A VIEW TO SECURING RECOGNITION OF THE SAR PASSPORT IN COUNTRIES OVER THE WORLD AND HOPE TO ENTER INTO VISA WAIVER ARRANGEMENTS WITH THEM.

25.

A LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC FOUNDATION DELEGATION AFTER A VISIT TO PEKING (9.9) QUOTED LU PING AS SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE WERE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING ISSUING PRC PASSPORTS BEFORE 1997 TO HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY HOLDERS. LU WAS ALSO QUOTED AS SAYING THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTRY WOAS CONSIDERING ASKING THE UK VIA THE JLG TO INCLUDE IN BN (0) PASSPORTS A CLAUSE STATING THAT HONG KONG PERMANENT RESIDENTS HAD THE RIGHT TO ENTER HONG KONG, TO BOOST PEOPLE'S CONFIDENCE IN THEIR FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.

JL G.

26. THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL QUOTED (9.9) SOURCES CLOSE

TO THE JLG AS SAYING THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD SEEK TO REACH AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE ON MILITARY LANDS SO THAT IT COULD BE ENDORSED AT THE MINISTERIAL MEETING LATER THIS MONTH. THE PAPER SAID DURING THE JLG DEFENCE SUB-GROUP MEETINGS HELD EARLIER, THE · BRITISH SIDE HAD AGREED TO HAND OVER MOST OF THE 11 SITES TO THE CHINESE SIDE, INCLUDING THE PRINCE OF WALES' BUILDING AND STANLEY FORT. SOURCES SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ALSO MADE SOME CONCESSIONS, INCLUDING AGREEING TO PUT A NUMBER OF SITES TO COMMERCIAL USE AND TO GUARANTEE THAT IF THERE SHOULD BE CHANGES IN THE LAND USE AFTER 1997, THE LAND WOULD BE RETURNED TO THE SAR. HOWEVER, PARTICIPATION OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES AND THE EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS' EMPLOYMENT TERMS WERE LIKELY TO BE THE MAJOR POINTS OF CONTENTION IN THE JLG.

PREPARATORY WORKING COMMITTEE.

27.

PAPERS ACCORDED (5.9) GOOD COVERAGE TO THE ENDING OF A TWO-DAY PWC ECONOMIC SUB-GROUP MEETING IN PEKING. REPORTS NOTED THE SUB-GROUP WOULD STUDY SEVEN AREAS OF MAJOR ECONOMIC ISSUES INCLUDING MAJOR PROJECTS AND FRANCHISES, CONTRACTS STRADDLING 1997 AND HONG KONG'S MONETARY SYSTEM.

WANG ZHAOGUO.

28.

MANY PAPERS NOTED (7.9) AT A MEETING WITH A DELEGATION OF THE LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC FOUNDATION, THE HEAD OF THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY'S UNITED FRONT WORK DEPARTMENT, WANG ZHAOGUO, SAID IF HONG

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