TNAG-2780-FCO40-3999-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 59

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FORMED ONE OF THE BASIS OF THE TALKS.

4. NCNA VICE-DIRECTOR ZHU YUCHENG YESTERDAY MADE SIMILAR REMARKS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 'THREE CONFORMITIES' AND SINCERITY ON THE PART OF THE CHINESE SIDE. HE CRITICISED THE BRITISH SIDE FOR 'JUMPING THE GUN' BY DEPLOYING THE THREE PETTY TRICKS BEFORE A DEAL WAS REACHED AT THE TALKS. WHEN ENQUIRED ON WHETHER THE SUMMIT MEETING TO BE HELD IN LONDON WAS AN ATTEMPT TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINA, ZHU SAID THAT IT WAS A MATTER FOR THE BRITISH SIDE.

COMMENTARIES

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5. A WEN WEI PO COMMENTARY CRITICISED THE GOVERNOR'S REMARKS ON WEDNESDAY THAT THE 'HK-BRITISH DELEGATION HAS ALL ALONG SHOWN SINCERITY IN THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS AS AN ATTEMPT TO REVIVE THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL. IF HK WERE ACCEPTED AS A PARTY TO THE TALKS ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH THE TWO SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENTS, HK WOULD BE TURNED INTO A SEPARATE POLITICAL ENTITY. THE CHINESE SIDE CONSIDERED THIS AS ANOTHER DEMONSTRATION OF THE LACK OF SINCERITY ON THE BRITISH SIDE.

6. REFERRING TO RECENT REPORTS IN THE LOCAL PRESS THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD ASKED TO TAKE PART IN THE SETTING UP OF THE SAR PREPARATORY COMMITTEE AS QUID-PRO-QUO FOR CONCESSIONS ON THE ELECTION COMMITTEE AND THE FCS, HK COMMERCIAL DAILY SAID THAT SUCH NEWS MIGHT NOT BE UNFOUNDED. THE PAPERS BELIEVED THAT THE BRITISH MOTIVE WAS TO SEEK CONSULTATION ON THE CANDIDATURE OF HK DELEGATES IN THE COMMITTEE. SOURCES SAID THAT AS THE FUTURE SARG WOULD BE EXECUTIVE-LED, THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD RATHER SPEND EFFORTS TO INFLUENCE THE FUTURE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITIES RATHER THAN THE 1995 AND POST-1997 LEGISLATURES. THE PAPER CRITICISED THIS AS YET ANOTHER ATTEMPT OF BRITAIN TO EXTEND COLONIAL INFLUENCE IN HK AFTER 1997. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD NEVER CONCEDE ON MATTERS OF SOVEREIGNTY.

SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS

7. THE STANDARD REPORTED THAT HKMAO DEPUTY DIRECTOR WANG QUIREN AND FIRST DIVISION CHIEF CHEN ZUO'ER WOULD BE IN HK FOR A ONE-WEEK VISIT FROM 5 JULY. A PEKING SOURCE SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE GUESTS OF THE NCNA AND WOULD NOT MAKE OFFICIAL CONTACT WITH THE HKG. NOTING THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST VISIT BY CHINESE OFFICIALS SINCE THE GOVERNOR VISITED BEIJING LAST OCTOBER, THE PAPER SAW THE VISIT AS A SIGN OF THAWING SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS.

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