TNAG-2780-FCO40-3999-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 76

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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 (2.6 11.6)

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SUMMARY

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1. THE CHINESE ATTACKED THE PASSAGE OF THE BOUNDARY AND ELECTION COMMISSION (BEC) BILL AND LEGCO'S CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL'S DISCUSSION OF THE GAZETTED BILL AS POSING NEW OBSTACLES ON THE TALKS ON THE 1994/95 ELECTIONS. THERE WAS ALSO INTENSE SPECULATION ON PROGRESS MADE ON THE AIRPORT ISSUE WITH THE RESUMPTION OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING.

SINO-BRITISH TALKS

2. NCNA VICE DIRECTOR ZHU YUCHENG (2.6) CRITICISED THE PASSAGE OF THE BEC BILL AS A 'FALSE START' AND THE LEGCO PANEL'S DECISION ON DISCUSSING THE GAZETTED PACKAGE AS POSING NEW OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS.

3. THE PAPERS (2.6) CARRIED PROMINENTLY A SIGNED COMMENTARY IN THE LATEST EDITION OF THE BAUHINIA MAGAZINE WHICH SAID THE AIM OF THE TALKS WAS TO RESTORE MUTUAL TRUST AND NOT TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE SO-CALLED 'POLITICAL REFORMS'. THE ARTICLE ALSO STRESSED THE

THE TALKS CONCERNED ONLY ELECTORAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR 1994/95. GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE SHOULD NOT BE RAISED AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE, NOR SHOULD ANY PROPOSAL TO REFORM HK'S POLITICAL SYSTEM.

4.

COMMENTARIES IN THE LEFT-WING PAPERS (2.6) CONTINUED TO ATTACK THE PASSAGE OF THE BEC BILL AND THE LEGCO PANEL'S DECISION TO DISCUSS THE GAZETTED PACKAGE. A PROMINENT COMMENTARY IN WEN WEI PO SAID THE BEC WITH WIDE-RANGING AND SUBSTANTIVE POWERS, WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE GOVERNOR'S PACKAGE. THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL HAD MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE GOVERNOR'S ATTEMPT TO PUSH BIT BY

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