TNAG-2780-FCO40-3999-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 46

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 995

OF 21202OZ JUNE 1993

UNCLASSIFIED

01212.

RECEIVED MANTICISTRY

23 JU 1993

*

DESK CHALK

REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

sation Token

166.

174630 MDLIAN 0338

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA

PART ONE OF TWO

-

HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: (12.6 21.6)

ра

Ma aizk

SUMMARY

THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIFTH ROUND OF THE TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN HONG KONG WITHOUT AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE RESULTS EXCEPT ON DATES OF THE SIXTH ROUND IN THE FOLLOWING WEEK RECEIVED WIDE COVERAGE. INTENSIVE SPECULATION CONTINUED ON THE CONTENT/PROGRESS OF THE TALKS SO FAR. THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING WHICH ENDED WITH AN AGREEMENT TO PROCEED WITH THE WESTERN HARBOUR CROSSING BUT NOT THE OVERALL FINANCIAL PACKAGE ALSO CAPTURED A LOT OF ATTENTION, SO DID THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE RESUMPTION OF THE JLG TALKS.

SINO-BRITISH TALKS

2. WEN WEI PO QUOTED (14.6) LU PING AS SAYING HE HOPED PROGRESS COULD BE ACHIEVED AT THE FIFTH ROUND WITH BOTH SIDES SHOWING SINCERITY.

3. MING PAO QUOTED (15.6) CHINESE SOURCES AS SAYING THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD ASK THE BRITISH SIDE AT THE FIFTH ROUND WHETHER THEY WOULD ABIDE BY THE AGREEMENTS AS SET OUT IN THE SEVEN SETS OF DIPLOMATIC LETTERS. THE SOURCE SAID IF THE BRITISH SIDE GAVE A POSITIVE RESPONSE, SPEEDY PROGRESS COULD BE ACHIEVED. FCO LOCAL SPOKESMAN SAID THE CONSISTENT POSITION OF THE BRITISH SIDE WAS THE DOCUMENTS DID NOT CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT AND HAD NO BINDING POWER.

4. ON PROGRESS OF THE TALKS, THE EXPRESS QUOTED (15.6) SOURCES AS SAYING THE TWO SIDES HAD REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE 1995 ELECTIONS AND THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS WOULD BE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DIPLOMATIC EXCHANGES. QUOTING

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