نا
SECRET
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 932
OF 080814Z JUNE 93
SECRET
HIGD 34 HT
10 JUit 1993
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
BNO
ра
(Pam 6)
19/6 1955
140037
MDHIAN 3914
14.4)
EXCO, 8 JUNE
TALKS WITH CHINA
THE COUNCIL HAD BEFORE IT THE REPORT OF MR GOODLAD'S MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR MA ON 4 JUNE.
1.
2.
I EXPLAINED THAT YOU HAD DECIDED NOT TO SEND ANOTHER MESSAGE YOURSELF AT THIS STAGE. YOU WISHED TO SEE THE OUTCOME OF THE NEXT ROUND BEFORE DECIDING WHETHER TO INTERVENE AGAIN. OUR TEAM WOULD TRY AGAIN AT THE FIFTH ROUND TO MOVE DISCUSSION ON TO THE ELECTION COMMITTEE, FUNCTIONAL CONSTITUENCIES ETC.
AIRPORT
3.
THE POLITICAL ADVISER REPORTED ON THE 4 JUNE MEETING OF THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE ON THE LINES OF UKREP JLG TELNO 124. IN THE COURSE OF THAT REPORT, EHRMAN COMMENTED THAT THE CHINESE HAD NOT SUGGESTED AT THE MEETING, NOR INDEED AT ANY OTHER MEETING WITH US EITHER BEFORE OR SINCE THE SIGNATURE OF THE MOU, THAT PAA AND MTRC BORROWING SHOULD FALL WITHIN THE LIMIT OF HK DOLLARS 5 BILLION FOR GOVERNMENT BORROWING. EHRMAN MADE THIS COMMENT BECAUSE OF SOME UNHELPFUL REMARKS OVER THE WEEKEND BY EDWARD CHEN WHO CLAIMED THAT DIFFERENCES IN INTERPRETATION OF THE HK DOLLARS 5 BILLION LIMIT AND WHETHER OR NOT IT APPLIED TO THE PAA AND MTRC WERE AT THE HEART OF THE PROBLEMS BETWEEN CHINA AND BRITAIN OVER THE AIRPORT. CHEN MADE NO FURTHER COMMENT AT THE EXCO MEETING.
4. MEMBERS ACCEPTED THE ANALYSIS THAT THE CHINESE HAD ORIGINALLY WANTED TO DO BUSINESS AT THIS MEETING BUT, PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE BEC AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL'S DISCUSSIONS (ALTHOUGH WE COULD NOT BE CERTAIN THAT THESE WERE THE CAUSES), HAD RECONSIDERED AND SIMPLY TROD WATER ON 4 JUNE.
DEFENCE LANDS
5. THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS BRIEFED THE COUNCIL ON THE DEFENCE LANDS EXPERT MEETING.
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