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177002 MOLIAN 5381
7. REPORTS NOTED (16.2) A HKMAO SPOKESMAN SAID THE CHINESE STAND HAD REMAINED UNCHANGED AND REITERATED THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD TO WITHDRAW HIS PROPOSALS AND GO BACK TO THE TRACK OF THE '3 COMPLIANCES'. A VICE DIRECTOR OF NCNA ZHENG GUOXIONG REITERATED COMMENTS ALONG THE SAME LINE. THE GOVERNOR WAS QUOTED AS SAYING HE WOULD BE WILLING TO TALK TO THE CHINESE AT ANY TIME BUT TALKS HAD TO BE CONDUCTED WITHOUT PRE-CONDITIONS.
8.
MANY PAPERS (18.2) QUOTED CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER QIAN QICHEN AS REITERATING CHINA WOULD NOT CONCEDE ON THE HK QUESTION. THE BEST WAY TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WAS FOR THE BRITISH HK AUTHORITIES TO GO BACK TO THE JD AND THE AIRPORT MOU STAND AND CONSULT CHINA ON ALL IMPORTANT HK CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES.
RESUMPTION OF SINO-BRITISH TALKS
9. THE HK ECONOMIC TIMES, (13.2) QUOTING RELIABLE SOURCES, SAID THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD INDICATED TO THE BRITISH SIDE DIPLOMATIC DIALOGUE COULD BE RESUMED TO EASE THE CURRENT TENSE SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS. PEKING HAD TAKEN THE HKG'S MOVE IN POSTPONING THE GAZETTING OF THE BILLS AS A DEMONSTRATION OF INITIAL SINCERITY TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. IT WAS EXPECTED THE JLG WOULD BE THE CHANNEL FOR NEGOTIATIONS. TO FACILITATE NEGOTIATIONS, THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD FURTHER POSTPONE THE GAZETTING DATE. MING PAO CARRIED A CONTRADICTORY REPORT. IT SAID CHINESE OFFICIALS HAD CONFIRMED THE HKMAO HAD, THOUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS, RECEIVED A COPY OF THE DRAFT BILL ON POLITICAL REFORMS PASSED BY EXCO AND LU PING HAD READ IT. HOWEVER, THE HKMAO DID NOT CONSIDER THIS ADVANCE NOTIFICATION WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR RE-OPENING TALKS AND THE CHINESE SIDE DID NOT INTEND TO MAKE PUBLIC THEIR RESPONSE. IT WAS UNDERSTOOD BY THE PAPER THAT THE BRITISH HKG HAD DECIDED TO SUBMIT THE PROPOSALS TO LEGCO ON SCHEDULE REGARDLESS OF CHINESE OPPOSITION. IN THE COMING MONTHS, THE HKG WOULD AGGRESSIVELY SEEK SUPPORT FROM LEGCO MEMBERS TO PASS THE PROPOSALS.
10.
THE PAPERS, QUOTING (15.2) VARIOUS SOURCES, SPECULATED ON AN IMMINENT ANNOUNCEMENT OF RESUMPTION OF TALKS. THE EXPRESS SAID, ACCORDING TO AUTHORITATIVE SOURCES, THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY HAD AGREED IN THEIR RECENT CORRESPONDENCES TO RE-OPEN TALKS SHORTLY TO BREAK THE IMPASSE. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED THAT THE TWO SIDES COULD RESOLVE THEIR DIFFERENCES WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD. BUT TALKS WOULD BE CONDUCIVE TO THE MEETING IN MARCH/APRIL BETWEEN THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER AND THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY. ACCORDING TO
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