TNAG-2780-FCO40-3999-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 63

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MDHIAN 5265

4.

SIR ROBIN MCLAREN'S CLARIFICATION OF HIS EARLIER REMARKS ON 'POSITIVE MOVES' WAS AGAIN CARRIED BY A NUMBER OF PAPERS TODAY.

IN

RESPONSE TO ENQUIRY ON WHETHER THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD MAKE 'POSITIVE MOVES' TO CONVINCE THE CHINESE SIDE THE IMPORTANCE OF THROUGH TRAIN, SIR MCLAREN DECLINED TO COMMENT ON GROUNDS OF

CONFIDENTIALITY.

5.

QUOTING INFORMED SOURCES, HONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL BELIEVED THAT SIR ROBIN MCLAREN WAS EAGER TO DEMONSTRATE SINCERITY FOLLOWING CHINESE CRITICISMS ON THE 'PETTY TRICKS'. BUT HIS REMARKS HAD BEEN INTERPRETED AS INDICATING BRITISH WILLINGNESS TO MAKE CONCESSIONS AND HAD CAUSED A LOT OF SPECULATIONS.

6.

QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES, ORIENTAL DAILY ATTRIBUTED THE CURRENT DEADLOCK TO A CHANGE IN THE BRITISH SIDE'S POSITION OVER THROUGH TRAIN IN THE LATTER PART OF THE FOURTH ROUND. THAT ALSO EXPLAINED THE LAPSE OF TWO WEEKS BETWEEN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH ROUNDS. SOURCES SAID THAT THE BRITISH SIDE HAD BASICALLY AGREED IN THE FIRST THREE ROUNDS THAT THE CHINESE SIDE COULD EXERCISE TICKET INSPECTION AS LONG AS ACCEPTABLE OBJECTIVE CRITERIA COULD BE DRAWN UP. HOWEVER THE BRITISH SIDE CHANGED HER STANCE AT THE FOURTH ROUND INSISTING ON A COMPLETE THROUGH TRAIN. THE CHINESE SIDE CONSIDERED TICKET INSPECTION TO BE AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE AND WOULD NOT EASILY CONCEDE UNLESS SATISFACTORY AGREEMENTS COULD BE REACHED ON OTHER CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES. SOURCES SAID THAT IF THE BRITISH SIDE DID NOT CHANGE HER POSITION, THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD STALL THE PROGRESS OF THE TALKS. HOWEVER THAT SHOULD NOT PRECLUDE DISCUSSIONS ON OTHER

ISSUES.

7. BOTH TVB AND ATV REPORTED THAT THROUGH TRAIN WAS THE REAL STICKING POINT AT THE TALKS. THE CHINESE SIDE MAINTAINED THAT THROUGH TRAIN WAS ONLY ONE TRANSITIONAL ISSUE AND THAT THE RESUMPTION OF SOVEREIGNTY SHOULD BE DEALT WITH IN A PACKAGE. A REASONABLE SETTLEMENT ON THE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS OF THROUGH TRAIN COULD ONLY BE MADE WITH CO-OPERATION FROM BOTH SIDES. DENG XIAOPING HAD ONCE GIVEN SUPPORT TO THE THROUGH TRAIN BUT THE CHINESE POSITION WAS THAT IT HAD TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE

BL.

8. UNITED DAILY NEWS NOTED A GOVERNMENT SOURCE AS SAYING THAT THE TWO SIDES HAD ENTERED INTO CONCRETE DISCUSSIONS AT THE FIFTH ROUND, BUT BOTH SIDES INSISTED ON THEIR OWN POSITIONS AND NO PROGRESS WAS ACHIEVED.

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