THE fact that the possibility of talks between China and Britain has slipped further away is disappointing for the Hongkong people. However, in this instance, China, not Britain, needs to take full responsibility for any consequences which may arise due to any failure to talk. China has repeatedly stated that for talks to start, Britain must return to the principles of the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law, and the previous understandings and agreements between the two governments. (The third part of the requirements refers to the seven letters exchanged between the two government's foreign ministers in 1990.) It has not been easy for Britain to accept this third requirement, as both sides do not agree on the conclusion which can be drawn from the letters. In order to be as accommodating and conciliatory as possible, Britain agreed on the three points in full as a basis to start talks. Suddenly, two more points were raised by China as pre-conditions: that no Hongkong officials can be included in the British team, and Britain must guarantee that the outcome of the talks will be passed by the Legislative Council. The reason given that no Hongkong official can be in the British team is that no municipal official has a right to be in the team of sovereign states. This argument is fine if Hongkong were to be a municipal city like any other in China. But the Chinese Government must remind itself that Hongkong will be a Special Administration Region after 1997, run with a completely different system to that of the rest of China, and that Hongkong people will be running Hongkong with a high degree of autonomy. This is a unique situation, which requires unique considerations. The second demand that any agreement reached will be guaranteed passage through the Legislative Council is even more incredible then the first condition. Again, this would be fine if the post 1997 Legislative Council were just to be a rubber stamp, like the National People's Congress. The Chinese Government needs to re-examine itself, that by imposing this condition it is putting itself into the position of going against the spirit of the Joint Declaration. ALEX WOO Central
