TNAG-2780-FCO40-3999-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 67

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335

MDHIAN 065,

(THIS POINT ABOUT PROGRESS IS HOWEVER NOT/NOT FOUND IN THE WEN

WEI REPORT).

SOURCES.

5.

TA KUNG QUOTED A RTHK REPORT SAYING THAT THE BRITISH SIDE

SEEMED TO HAVE GIVEN UP AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE. THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES HAD AGREED IN PRINCIPLE THAT

FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS SHOULD BE BASED ON THE PUBLICLY

RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS AND PROFESSIONS. THERE WERE SIMILAR REPORTS IN SING PAO, TIN TIN DAILY AND BY THE COMMERCIAL RADIO. SCMP HOWEVER, QUOTED A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN AS DENYING THAT WE HAD DROPPED OUR PROPOSALS ON FUNCTIONAL, CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS.

6.

COMMERCIAL RADIO AND SING PAO QUOTED SOURCES AS SAYING THAT ON THE ISSUE OF 'THROUGH TRAIN', WHILE THE CHINESE SIDE MAINTAINED

THAT LEGCO MEMBERS ELECTED IN 1995 SHOULD BE CONFIRMED BY THE

PREPARATORY COMMITTEE TO BE SET UP IN 1996 BEFORE THEY COULD RIDE THE TRAIN, THE BRITISH SIDE HOPED TO DISCUSS CRITERIA FOR CONFIRMATION. ALSO, IN THE LAST ROUND OF TALKS, THE BRITISH SIDE

HAD SUGGESTED THAT THE ELECTION COMMITTEE MIGHT BE FORMED IN

ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHINESE SIDE'S SUGGESTIONS, PROVIDED THAT BRITISH MEMBERS COULD JOIN THE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE FORMATION OF THE FIRST SAR GOVERNMENT AND LEGCO.

THE CHINESE SIDE WERE SAID TO HAVE REJECTED THIS SUGGESTION ON THE

GROUND THAT IT WOULD MEAN INTERFERENCE IN CHINA'S INTERNAL AFFAIRS.

QUOTING SOURCES, THE UNITED DAILY NEWS SAID THAT IN THE FIFTH ROUND OF TALKS, THE CHINESE SIDE HAD ASKED THE BRITISH SIDE TO MAKE CLEAR ITS STAND ON THE ISSUE OF SINCERITY. ONLY IF THE BRITISH SIDE COULD DEMONSTRATE SINCERITY, BOTH SIDES COULD CONTINUE TO CO- OPERATE AND DISCUSS THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. THE

SOURCES ALSO SAID THAT WHILE THE CHINESE SIDE HAD CREATED MANY CONDITIONS BEFORE THE TALKS TO DEMONSTRATE SINCERITY, THE BRITISH SIDE HAD CONTINUOUSLY PLAYED PETTY TRICKS. THE SOURCES ALSO SAID

THAT SO FAR ON MAJOR ISSUES LIKE THE FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCY ELECTIONS AND THE FORMATION OF THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, BOTH SIDES HAD NOT REACHED CONSENSUS, AND THE GAP ON THE ISSUE OF 'THROUGH TRAIN' REMAINED WIDE.

8.

ATV-HOME AND SING PAO QUOTED SOURCES CLOSE TO THE BRITISH SIDE

AS SAYING THAT IN THE PAST FOUR ROUNDS OF TALKS, BOTH SIDES HAD NOT DISCUSSED CONCRETE ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS. THE BRITISH SIDE HAD ALL

ALONG AIMED AT RESOLVING MATTERS OF PRINCIPLES BEFORE GOING INTO

2

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