TNAG-2781-FCO40-4000-Future-of-Hong-Kong-constitutional-development-Chinese-reac-1993 — Page 172

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1286

OF 040903Z AUGUST 93

AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

UNCLASSIFIED

In bunten

130765

MDHIAN 1006

012/2.

STRY

RECEIVED

AUL 1993

DESK C

PECISTRY

OLX

or COPY

Acion Take DIST?

ра

SIGNED COMMENTARY IN 'BAUHINIA'

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG

CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

MAGAZINE

1. THE PAPERS TODAY (4.8.93) WIDELY REPORTED A SIGNED COMMENTARY IN THE COMING EDITION OF THE 'BAUHINIA' MAGAZINE WHICH SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT SET ANY OBSTACLES TO THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS

AND WAS EAGER TO SEE THE PACE OF THE TALKS SPEEDED UP.

2. THE ARTICLE WELCOME S OF S'S COMMENTS ON THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES DURING HIS MEETING WITH THE CHINESE FOREIGN MINISTER. THE ARTICLE POINTED OUT THAT

'SINCERITY' WAS VERY IMPORTANT IN THE RESTORATION OF TRUST AND

COOPERATION AND THE 'THREE CONFORMITIES' WERE THE ONLY CRITERIA FOR

'SINCERITY'.

3. THE ARTICLE SAID THAT THE CHINESE SIDE HAD CONTINUED TO GIVE ITS FULL SUPPORT AND COOPERATION TO ISSUES AFFECTING THE TERRITORY'S ECONOMY, WELFARE AND SECURITY DESPITE THE ROW CAUSED BY THE 'THREE VIOLATIONS, ONE CONFRONTATION' POLICY ADVOCATED BY 'SOMEONE'. THE CHINESE SIDE HOPED THAT THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD DEMONSTRATE WITH CONCRETE ACTIONS ITS SINCERITY NOW THAT 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. SHOULD MUTUTAL TRUST AND COOPERATION BE RE-ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE ABOVE, OTHER ISSUES RELATING TO HONG KONG 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 HONG KONG BUT WOULD ALSO BE OF NO BENEFIT

TO BRITISH INTERERST.

4. ON THE 'THROUGH TRAIN', THE ARTICLE SAID THAT THE RELEVANT ARRANGEMENTS HAD BEEN CLEARLY STIPULATED IN THE BL AND RESOLUTIONS

OF THE NPC. WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE FURTHER GUIDEINES ON THE

ARRANGEMENTS WAS A MATTER FOR THE SARPC. THE ARTICLE ALSO

CRITICISED PEOPLE WHO SAID THAT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES

PAGE

1

UNCLASSIFIED