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MDLIAN 3736 *
COULD NOT TAKE PART IN THE TALKS AS FORMAL MEMBERS :
(I) THE TALKS SHOULD BE HELD BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS. HKG OFFICIALS WERE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TAKE PART IN
EQUAL STATUS.
(II) UNDER THE JD, THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG SHOULD BE RESOLVED BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS. HKG WAS RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR IMPLEMENTING AGREEMENTS REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SOVEREIGN STATES. WE HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN THE DECISION MAKING OF THE TWO GOVERNMENTS. NOR COULD WE PUT OURSELVES ON PAR WITH LONDON OR PEKING.
(III) THE CHINESE PERSISTENT PRINCIPLED POSITION WAS NOT TO ACCEPT HKG AS FORMAL MEMBERS IN SINO-BRITISH TALKS, TO AVOID THE EMERGENCE OF A THREE-LEGGED STOOL. HKG HAD OVERTURNED AGREEMENT REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. TO ALLOW HKG OFFICIALS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TALKS AS FORMAL MEMBERS WOULD BE DAMAGING TO THE TALKS.
(IV) HKG OFFICIALS DID NOT REPRESENT PUBLIC VIEWS IN HONG
KONG.
THE OTHER COMMENTARY CRITICISED THE GOVERNOR FOR DAMAGING SINO- BRITISH CO-OPERATION AND CONFRONTING CHINA.
JARDINES
6. SOME PRESS REPORTS TODAY QUOTED VICE MINISTER OF FOREIGN TRADE AND ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION, TONG ZHIGUANG, AS SAYING THAT MARTIN BARROW HAD TOLD HIM DURING A MEETING IN PEKING THAT JARDINES WAS WILLING TO ''CORRECT ITS MISTAKES IN THE PAST'' TONG SAID THE WORDS AND DEEDS OF JARDINES ON THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE WERE DISGRACEFUL, ADDING THAT THE GROUP HAD NOT YET CORRECTED ITS MISTAKES.
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