TNAG-2781-FCO40-4000-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 162

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FM HONG KONG

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OF 061118Z AUGUST 93

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RECEIVED

AUL 1993

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FA

RCISTRY sation Taken

179)

137705 MDLIAN 9897

TOP COPY

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حلام

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING KREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA

PART ONE OF TWO

SUMMARY

1. REMARKS BY CHINESE LEADERS ON THE TALKS CONTINUED TO FEATURE. THERE WAS WIDE COVERAGE ON THE MOVEMENT OF AND REACTION TO THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY TO ALLOW EXPATRIATE CIVIL SERVANTS TO APPLY TO RENEW THEIR CONTRACTS UNDER LOCAL TERMS AS A TEMPORARY MEASURE. REPORTS ALSO NOTED ANOTHER ROUND OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE MEETING ENDED WITHOUT AN AGREEMENT.

SINO-BRITISH TALKS

2.

THE PAPERS (4.8) WIDELY REPORTED A SIGNED COMMENTARY IN THE COMING EDITION OF THE ''BAUHINIA'' MAGAZINE WHICH SAID THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT SET ANY OBSTACLES TO THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS AND WERE EAGER TO SEE THE PACE OF THE TALKS SPEEDED UP. THE ARTICLE WELCOMED THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMENTS ON THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST AND CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES DURING HIS MEETING WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER. THE ARTICLE POINTED OUT

'SINCERITY' WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE RESTORATION OF TRUST AND CO- OPERATION AND THE THREE COMFORMITIES' WERE THE ONLY CRITERIA FOR SINCERITY. THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD DEMONSTRATE WITH CONCRETE ACTIONS ITS SINCERITY NOW THERE WAS A GLIMMER OF HOPE OF SPEEDING UP THE PACE OF THE TALKS SO THAT A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME COULD BE ACHIEVED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MUTUAL TRUST AND CO-OPERATION BE RE-ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE ABOVE, OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO HK COULD EASILY BE RESOLVED. FROM A WIDER PERSPECTIVE, THIS WOULD ALSO HAVE A LONG-TERM EFFECT ON IMPROVING THE SINO-BRITISH RELATIONSHIP. SHOULD IT BE OTHERWISE, IT WOULD

· NOT ONLY HARM THE INTEREST OF HK BUT WOULD ALSO BE OF NO BENEFIT TO BRITISH INTEREST. ON THE THROUGH TRAIN, THE ARTICLE SAID THE RELEVANT ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN CLEARLY STIPULATED IN THE BL AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE NPC. WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER GUIDELINES ON THE ARRANGEMENTS WAS A MATTER FOR THE NPC, ITS STANDING COMMITTEE OR THE SARPC. THE ARTICLE ALSO CRITICISED PEOPLE WHO

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