TNAG-2779-FCO40-3998-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 131

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153205 MDLIAN 468

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FOR LEGCO'S 20 DIRECTLY ELECTED SEATS, THE 9 NEW FC'S ALONG THE LINE OF PAST PRINCIPLES AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE EC IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOUR CATEGORIES OF MEMBERSHIP SET OUT IN THE

BL.

5. THE SOURCE SAID THAT THE BRITISH HAD, THROUGH MR GOODLAD AND THE JLG, RECENTLY ASKED THE CHINESE TWICE TO RE-OPEN TALKS. YET THE CHINESE HAD BEEN DECEIVED MANY TIMES ON THE QUESTION OF POLITICAL REFORM. EVEN IF THE BRITISH WERE NOW SINCERE, CHINESE STILL HAD TO WATCH OUT FOR ANY SUDDEN MOVE BY THE BRITISH AGAIN. HE SAID THAT VERBAL PROMISES WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH FOR RESOLVING DIFFERENCES, ADDING THAT THE ONLY ISSUE REMAINING BEFORE TALKS COULD RE-OPEN WAS THE STATUS OF HKG OFFICIALS: THE BRITISH HAD TO SAY SOMETHING ON THIS.

LEGCO THROUGH TRAIN

6. TODAY'S MING PAO ALSO REPORTED REMARKS BY FORMER BL DRAFTER WU JIANFAN ON THE THROUGH TRAIN FOR THE 1995 LEGCO. WU WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA SET OUT FOR CANDIDATES IN THE 1995 ELECTION SHOULD COMPLY WITH THE BL. OTHERWISE IT MIGHT MEAN THAT NOT ALL THE MEMBERS COULD RIDE THE THROUGH TRAIN EVEN IF THE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN AGREED BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN. WU REMARKED THAT THE BL PROVISIONS ON THROUGH TRAIN COVERED THE ELECTION METHOD AND THE 'PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES' OF THE MEMBERS: THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE WOULD DECIDE ON THE ELIGIBILITY OF EACH AND EVERY MEMBER FOR THE THROUGH TRAIN, IN THE LIGHT OF THEIR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

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7 WU SAID THAT 'THOSE BURNING THE BL OR SEEKING TO OVERTHROW THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT UPHOLDING THE BL'. BUT HE ADDED THAT A DECISION ON WHETHER A PERSON COULD BE DEEMED AS UPHOLDING THE BL SHOULD BE TAKEN ONLY AFTER LONG, DETAILED AND SPECIFIC OBSERVATION. HE THOUGHT THAT NOT ALL MEMBERS OF THE HK ALLIANCE COULD BE SAID TO BE NOT UPHOLDING THE BL: THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. HE ALSO DISAGREED WITH THE VIEW THAT LEGCO MEMBERS WOULD NOT BE UPHOLDING THE BL IF THEY VOTED IN SUPPORT OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE, ADDING THAT WHILE THIS WOULD BE ONE OF THE FACTORS FOR CONSIDERATION, THE DECISION WOULD NOT BE BASED ON ONE ISOLATED MOVE OF THE MEMBERS.

8. CHEN ZUOER WAS ALSO QUOTED ON 10 APRIL AS SAYING THAT WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A THROUGH TRAIN IN 1997 WOULD DEPEND ON BRITISH SINCERITY. HE ADDED THAT THIS ISSUE WOULD BE DECIDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE NPC DECISION.

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