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MDLIAN 1828
COMPLETE THEM SUCCESSFULLY.
THE OTHER WAS TO GIVE LEGCO AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE TO DISCUSS THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/95 AND TO HAVE THESE IN PLACE WELL BEFORE THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS.
9.
CHINA NEWS AGENCY ISSUED (3.5) A COMMENTARY URGING THE GOVERNOR NOT TO 'MAKE NOISES' ABOUT CHINA'S MFN STATUS. THE COMMENTARY SPECULATED THAT DURING HIS U S TRIP, THE GOVERNOR WOULD DISCUSS HIS CONSTITUTIONAL PACKAGE WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON AND US POLITICIANS IN ORDER TO PRESSURISE CHINA WITH THE AID OF TRADE ISSUES. IT WARNED IF THE QUESTION OF MFN RENEWAL FOR CHINA WAS POLITICISED, IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE INTERESTS OF U s, CHINA AND HK.
10.
THE GOVERNOR'S ACTIVITIES IN WASHINGTON RECEIVED GOOD COVERAGE (4.5) IN PARTICULAR HIS MEETING WITH PRESIDENT CLINTON. MR CLINTON WAS QUOTED AS SAYING THE IDEA OF KEEPING HK AN OPEN SOCIETY AFTER 1997 WAS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHINESE. HE THOUGHT THE GOVERNOR'S CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE WAS WELL FOUNDED AND HE SUPPORTED IT. MR CLINTON ADDED HE HOPED THIS DID NOT OFFEND ANYBODY BUT IT WAS THE JOB OF THE US TO PROMOTE DEMOCRACY. MR CLINTON SAID HE WOULD NOT BE IN A POSITION TO SAY WHAT RELATIONS WITH CHINA WOULD BE LIKE WHEN THE DECISION ON MFN STATUS HAD TO BE TAKEN. HE ADDED HE HAD NO INTEREST IN TRYING TO ISOLATE CHINA. REPORTS NOTED AFTER THE MEETING, THE GOVERNOR SAID HE HAD A VERY GOOD MEETING DURING WHICH HE WAS ABLE TO SET OUT THE CASE FOR CHINA'S MFN RENEWAL. HE ALSO SAID MR CLINTON RECOGNISED THE POLITICAL PROPOSALS BEING DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE WAS A MATTER BETWEEN THE SOVEREIGN POWERS FOR THE LONG TERM INTERESTS OF HK. THE GOVERNOR ADDED BECAUSE HK WAS SUCH A PRICELESS INTERNATIONAL ASSET, IT WAS NOT SURPRISING MR CLINTON SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
11. BOTH TA KUNG PAO AND WEN WEI PO (5.5) NOTED PROMINENTLY THE COMMENTS BY A SPOKESMAN FOR NCNA IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT CLINTON'S REMARKS ON HK. HE SAID THE QUESTION OF HK WAS A MATTER BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN BEFORE 1997, AND AN INTERNAL MATTER FOR CHINA AFTER 1997. ANY THIRD PARTY WOULD HAVE NO RIGHT TO INTERFERE. ON THE QUESTION OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS IN HK, CHINA AND BRITAIN WERE HOLDING TALKS ON THE BASIS OF THE JD, BL AND THE UNDERSTANDINGS AND. AGREEMENTS ALREADY REACHED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. IF ANYONE WANTED TO PLAY THE INTERNATIONALISATION CARD ON THIS QUESTION, IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE FUTILE BUT WOULD ALSO BE CREATING OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS.
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