TNAG-2799-FCO40-4039-Hong-Kong-six-monthly-meetings-of-foreign-ministers-1993 — Page 59

UNCLASSIFIED

021/1

REJEIVED

E

20 1993

(64

022601

MDHIAN 7196

REGISTRY Gion Taken

TOP COPY Q DIST?

por

UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1067

OF 01093OZ JULY 93

DESK

INDEX

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

S OF S'S VISIT TO PEKING.

1.

TODAY'S SING TAO DAILY CARRIED A REPORT FROM ITS LONDON CORRESPONDENT ON A POSSIBLE VISIT BY THE S OF S TO PEKING. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE VISIT COULD TAKE PLACE AS EARLY AS 9 JULY, AND THE S OF S WAS EXPECTED TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER THE CABINET MEETING TODAY.

2.

QUOTING SOURCES, THE REPORT SAID THE TALKS ON THE 94/95 ELECTIONS HAD ENTERED A PRIVOTAL STAGE. THE CHINESE SIDE HAD KICKED THE BALL OVER TO THE COURT OF THE BRITISH SIDE, WHOSE RESPONSE WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO AN EARLY AGREEMENT. THE CABINET MEETING WOULD BE DECISIVE IN DETERMINING THE BRITISH SIDE'S RESPONSE. THE SOURCES SAID BECAUSE THE TALKS HAD ACHIEVED CERTAIN PROGRESS, THE S OF S HAD INDICATED TO THE CHINESE SIDE THE WISH TO VISIT PEKING, SO AS TO SPEED UP THE NEGOTIATION WITH A VIEW TO AN EARLY AGREEMENT. WHETHER S OF S WOULD VISIT PEKING DEPENDED ON WHETHER THE CABINET MEETING WOULD PROVIDE S OF S WITH 'GIFTS' FOR

USE IN FURTHER BARGAINING.

3. THE PAPER UNDERSTOOD THAT ONE OF THE KEY ISSUES TO BE

DISCUSSED BY THE CABINET WAS WHETHER TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VOTERS FROM THE 3 MILLION (SIC) ENVISAGED UNDER THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS FOR FCS, AND IF SO BY HOW MANY. IF THE CABINET APPROVED A REDUCTION THAT WAS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CHINESE, IT WOULD HELP IN BRINGING AN EARLY RESOLUTION. THE AGREEMENT ABOUT THE THROUGH TRAIN WOULD ALSO BECOME SECONDARY.

THE SOURCES DID NOT THINK IT LIKELY THAT A DEAL WOULD BE REACHED AT THE SEVENTH ROUND. THERE WOULD AT MOST BE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS ON THE BRITISH SIDE'S RESPONSE DURING THE ROUND.

4.

5.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, AN FCO SPOKESMAN HAD REFUSED TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE S OF S INTENDED TO VISIT PEKING SHORTLY, AND HAD MERELY REITERATED THAT THE TWO FOREIGN SECRETARIES HAD AGREED THAT THEY SHOULD MEET WHEN THEY BOTH THOUGHT IT USEFUL TO DO

PAGE

1

UNCLASSIFIED