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151440
MOLIAN 8597
SOME LEGISLATORS WERE SUPPORTED BY THE HKG TO SYSTEMATICALLY INTRODUCE INTO LEGCO IN A PIECEMEAL MANNER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS, AT A TIME WHEN SINO-BRITISH TALKS WERE STILL GOING ON AND HK PEOPLE WERE NOT ALERT. THE INTENTION WAS TO CREATE A FAIT ACCOMPLI TO PUT PRESSURE ON CHINA.
10. IN A RELATED DEVELOPMENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NCNA ZHANG JUNSHENG WAS QUOTED (7.6) AS SAYING PENDING AN AGREEMENT IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS, ANY UNILATERAL DECISION TAKEN BY THE HKG WOULD BE INVALID. WHILST THE BRITISH SIDE HAD PLAYED PETTY TRICKS, THE CHINESE SIDE HAD DEMONSTRATED SINCERITY BY DOING THREE GOOD THINGS, I.E. RESUMPTION OF AIRPORT COMMITTEE AND LAND COMMISSION MEETINGS AND AGREEING TO THREE FRANCHISES.
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11 THE LEFT-WING PRESS DEVOTED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE (7.6) TO CRITICISE THE BRITISH SIDE'S PETTY TRICKS WHICH WERE SAID TO HAVE DESTROYED THE BASIS OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES ON THE BASIS OF THE JD. WEN WEI PO IN ITS LEADER WARNED THAT RECENT EVENTS WOULD START ANOTHER ROUND OF MEGAPHONE DIPLOMACY WHICH WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO HK'S STABILITY. TA KUNG PAO CRITICISED THE BRITISH SIDE FOR BEING BENT ON CREATING A THREE-LEGGED STOOL.
12.
QUOTING CHINESE SOURCES (7.6) THE UNITED DAILY NOTED THAT THE STRATEGY TO SEPARATE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES WAS CONTAINED IN A REPORT APPROVED BY CHINESE LEADERS JIANG ZEMIN AND ZHU RONGJI. THE PRINCIPLE WAS TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION IN ORDER TO
THE MAINTAIN HK'S STABILITY AND TO GAIN SUPPORT OF THE HK PEOPLE. SOURCES ADDED THAT TECHNICAL DETAILS CONCERNING FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES AND CONSTITUENCY BOUNDARIES WOULD BE DISCUSSED AT THE FIFTH ROUND OF TALKS. THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD PRESS THE BRITISH SIDE TO RESTRAIN HKG AND LEGCO. IT WAS WARNED THAT IF THE BRITISH SIDE FAILED TO GIVE SUCH A COMMITMENT, THE FIFTH ROUND OF TALKS MIGHT HIT SNAGS.
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13. REMARKS MADE BY LU PING (10.6) TO THE VISITING HK UNITED YOUTH ASSOCIATION WERE GIVEN EXTENSIVE COVERAGE. MR LU SAID THE BRITISH SIDE'S PETTY TRICKS WOULD DEFINITELY POSE OBSTACLES TO THE TALKS. HE CRITICISED MR GOODLAD'S ALLEGED REMARKS AS 'UNREASONABLE AND DEVOID OF COMMON SENSE''. HE SAID IF SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENTS COULD BE OVERTURNED BY LEGCO, THEN IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME TO HOLD THE CURRENT TALKS. MR LU SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE AGREED TO THE ANNUAL LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME, THE THREE FRANCHISES AND THE RESUMPTION OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING OUT OF CONSIDERATION FOR HK'S LONG-TERM PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. THE BRITISH SIDE
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