[HK3AEQ]
CONFIDENTIAL
MR RENTON'S VISIT TO HONG KONG (27-31 OCTOBER 1985)
4.
BASIC LAW
Points to Make in Public
1.
Drafting of the Basic Law
matter for Chinese
Government.
2.
Welcome decision to
Law Drafting Committee
Committee in Hong Kong.
include Hong Kong people on Basic
to establish Basic Law Consultative
3.
Agreement makes clear that Basic Law will embody Chinese
policies for Hong Kong as set out in Joint Declaration and as
elaborated in Annex I.
DEFENSIVE
4.
[Interpretation of the Basic Law.]
Courts of Special
Administrative Region will be required to act in accordance
with the Basic Law which will be one of the laws of the SAR.
If in any proceedings there arises a question as to the meaning
of that law, I would expect the Hong Kong court involved to determine that question, in accordance with judicial precedent
and subject to the usual appeal procedures. Agreement after all makes clear that judicial power in the SAR shall be vested
in the courts of the SAR. It also makes clear that the power
of final judgment will be vested in the court of final appeal
in the SAR.
[Post-1997 Government structure.]
Agreement includes
5.
government and
number of important provisions on this:
legislature to be composed of local inhabitants, legislature to
be consituted by elections, executive authorities to be legislature. [If pressed.] Development of
government in Hong Kong SO far entirely
accountable to
representative
CONFIDENTIAL