HK deadlock

Talks between Britain and China on reform in Hong Kong were deadlocked following a meeting at the UN between the Foreign Secretary, Douglas Hurd, and the Chinese Foreign Secretary, Qian Qichen, Peter Pringle reports from New York.

'There is a considerable gap and I can't say we have narrowed it,' said Mr Hurd. He told Mr Qian that Britain did not have 'infinite time' to complete the negotiations. He said there had been 'some' movement on the financing of the Hong Kong airport, a 'little' movement on the Joint Liaison Group on the reversion of the colony to China in 1997 and a 'tiny' movement on constitutional reform.