TNAG-2779-FCO40-3998-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 130

RB (109)

153205 MDLIAN 6468

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

UNCLASSIFIED

HKC 012/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

4 APR 1993

DESK OFFICER

TO PRIORITY FCO

INDEX

TELNO 572

OF 13095OZ APRIL 93

REGISTRY

PA Action Taken

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

TOP COPY Q DIST?

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CHINESE REMARKS: PRESS REPORTS

ZHOU NAN'S INTERVIEW WITH WINDOW MAGAZINE

1. T S LO'S WINDOW MAGAZINE CARRIED ON 9 APRIL AN INTERVIEW WITH

POSITION ON RE- ZHOU NAN IN WHICH ZHOU RESTATED THE CHINESE OPENING TALKS AND THEIR HOPE FOR CO-OPERATION, REFERRING AGAIN TO THE 1990 EXCHANGES TO SHOW THAT BOTH SIDES HAD REACHED AGREEMENT ON THE 1995 ELECTIONS. ZHOU ALSO CONTINUED TO ACCUSE US OF SABOTAGING THE TALKS WHICH HE SAID HE HAD EXPECTED TO START BEFORE THE NPC HAD WE NOT GAZETTED THE ELECTORAL BILL. HE WARNED THAT THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BILL INTO LEGCO WOULD MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR HOLDING THE TALKS.

2. ON SETTING UP THE NEW KITCHEN, ZHOU SAID THAT CHINESE LEADERS WERE TOEING A UNITED LINE ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. IT WOULD BE FUTILE TO LOOK FOR DIFFERENCES AMONG THEM ON IMPORTANT QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE CHINESE RACE.

WAH KIU YAT PO

3. REFERRING TO INFORMATION FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, WAH KIU YAT PO REPORTED ON 10 APRIL THAT THE CHINESE SIDE BELIEVED THAT CHANCES WERE SLIM FOR RE-OPENING TALKS AND REACHING AGREEMENT WITH THE BRITISH SIDE. THEY WERE NOW HOPING THAT LEGCO WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY AMEND THE PACKAGE TO BRING IT CLOSER IN LINE WITH THE BL AND CHINESE EXPECTATIONS. SOME CHINESE OFFICIALS EVEN HOPED THAT LEGCO WOULD MOVE A MOTION CALLING FOR AN AGREEMENT ON RE-OPENING TALKS BE REACHED BEFORE THE BILL WAS INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO, THOUGH THEY KNEW THIS WAS NOT A VIABLE OPTION.

4. A CHINESE SOURCE TOLD MING PAO (13 APRIL) THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD BEEN WELL PREPARED FOR TALKS: BUT THE SUDDEN MOVE OF GAZETTING HAD SHOWN THE LACK OF SINCERITY ON THE PART OF THE BRITISH. THE SOURCE SAID IF TALKS WERE HELD, THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD MAKE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS, WHICH WOULD COVER THE ARRANGEMENTS AND DELINEATION OF CONSTITUENCIES

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