(1) PUBLISHING REPORT OF COUNCIL OR COMMITTEE NOT HELD IN
PUBLIC (CLAUSE 23(C))
CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO ALLOWING A DEFENCE ON THE GROUND
THAT THE ACCUSED DID NOT KNOW OR HAD NO REASONABLE GROUND ON SELIEVING THAT RELEVANT PROCEEDINGS HAD BEEN HOLD IN PRIVATE. THIS
AGAIN WAS MUCH DISCUSSED IN THE PRESS AND HAS TEEN RAISED BY THE
HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION AS A PROVISION WHICH WOULD
INTERFERE WITH FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
(M) DEFAMATION OF COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE (CLAUSE 20(D))
TO BE INCLUDED IN CLAUSE 20(A).
(0) PENALTY UNDER CLAUSE 20
TERM OF IMPRISONMENT TO BE REDUCED
TO 2 YEARS.
2. IN EXCO THIS MORNING, MEMBERS AGREED THAT:
(A) THE ABOVE AMENDMENTS SHOULD DE MADE:
(B) THE SECOND READING SHOULD BE RESUMED ON 12 JUNE: BUT
(C) THE COMMITTEE STAGE AND THE THIRD READING SHOULD BE DEFERRED
TO 26 JUNE, BUT NOT BEYOND THAT DATE.
3. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF FINALISING THE DRAFTING
AMENDMENTS, NONE OF WHICH SHOULD CAUSE US ANY REAL PROBLEMS.
WE ARE SCHEDULED TO MEET MARIA TAM AND HER GROUP AGAIN TOMORROW
(5 JUNED) TO GO OVER THE DRAFTS.
4. AS SASI REPORTED THROUGH THE LONDON OFFICE LAST NIGHT (3 JUNE) THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE HONG KONG JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION,
MR WONG KWOK-WAH, HAS AN APPOINTMENT TO SEE MR LUCE ON 5 JUNE
AND WONG CAN BE EXPECTED TO RAISE SOME OF THE POINTS IN THIS TELEGRAM WITH MR LUCE. WE ARE NOT PUBLICISING THE
AMENDMENTS AT THIS STAGE. OUR INTENTIONS IS THAT THEY SHOULD ONLY
BE AIRED IN LEGCO ON THE RESUMPTION OF THE SECOND READING.
5. MIFT CONTAINS A PRESS RELEASE ISSUED BY UMELCO RECORDING THE
REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY THE HONG KONG JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION.
HADDON-CAVE
LIMITED
مد
нко
FED
PS/MA LOCÊ
MR WILSON
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MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS
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CONFIDENTIAL