TNAG-2804-FCO40-4044-National-People-s-Congress-and-Chinese-People-s-Political-Co-1993 — Page 19

UNCLASSIFIED

1

43

MDLIAN 3491

CNA COMMENTARY

TI

4. IN A COMMENTARY ENTITLED 'THE CHANCE FOR RE-OPENING THE DOOR OF SINO-BRITISH NEGOTIATIONS ISSUED ON 28 MARCH, THE CHINESE NEWS AGENCY SAID THAT THE SITUATION WAS NOT ALTOGETHER HOPELESS. AT LEAST IN THE PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE CHINESE SIDE HAD NOT TAKEN A PUBLIC POSITION OF REFUSING TALKS ANY FURTHER. THE COMMENTARY RESTATED JIANG ZEMIN'S REMARKS BY WHEN MEETING LOUIS CHA COUR TELNO 445) THAT CHINA WAS WILLING TO HOLD TALKS WITH THE BRITISH. BUT SUCH TALKS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS ON THE BASIS OF THREE COMPLIANCES'' AND NO THIRD PARTY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO INTERFERE. THE QUESTION NOW WAS THAT

THE BRITISH SIDE, THROUGH THE GOVERNOR, HAD CLOSED THE DOOR OF THE NEGOTIATIONS AND THE CHINESE COULD NOT ''BREAK IN''. WHETHER THE DOOR COULD BE RE-OPENED DEPENDED IN THE FIRST PLACE ON THE ACTION AND SINCERITY OF THE BRITISH. THE COMMENTARY SAID THE INTRODUCTION OF THE ELECTORAL BILL INTO LEGCO WOULD NOT BE CONDUCIVE TO TALKS.

PATTEN

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

71

MAIN

65

.HK POLICY

HKD

PUSD

FED

LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS

LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES

NEWS D

NTCD

PLANNERS

RAD

PS

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR J COLES

MR HUM

ADDITIONAL

6

CAOFF//SIR R BRAITHWAITE (DIO) CAOFF//MISS NEVILLE-JONES

PS NO 10.

NNNN

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