CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
GRS 200
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 176
OF 04C640Z FEBRUARY 86
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG
HONG KONG TELNO 313: CONTROL OF PUBLICATIONS ORDINANCE
1. THE CHINESE MIGHT PERHAPS BE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE REPEAL OF THIS IRDINANCE. BUT I THINK THEY WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PRODUCE REASONS WHICH THEY WOULD CONSIDER CONVINCING IN JUSTIFYING OPPOSITION TO THE REPEAL, BOTH WITH US AND WITH HONG KONG PUBLIC OPINION.
| THEREFORE DOUBT WHETHER THE CHINESE WOULD BE LIKELY ACTUALLY TO OBJECT TO REPEAL (PARTICULARLY AS SPECIAL POWERS COULD ANYWAY BE ENACTED SHOULD THE SITUATION REQUIRE THEM PARAGRAPH 5(C) OF TUR).
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2. IF YOU DECIDE IN FAVOUR OF REPEAL, I THINK WE SHOULD INFORM THE CHINESE IN ADVANCE OF ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT BY MEANS OF A LOW KEY APPROACH. IF WE WERE TO DO THIS, I SUGGEST THAT:
(A) THE POINT IN PARAGRAPH 5(A) OF TUR BE REPLACED BY: ''THIS IRDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 1951, AT A TIME WHEN THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG AND THE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS WERE
ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PREVALING TODAY''.
AND THAT
(B) THE END OF THE FINAL SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 5(B) BE AMENDED TO:
''... BE REMOVED IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES''
EVANS
જ
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
DEP HD/PUSD
HD/PUSD
RD (MR WALKER)
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARD ING
SIR J FREELAND MR WILSON MR CROWLEY
PUSD
COPIES TO:- MR ROBERTS
MR FIFOOT
MR WOOD
MR PEIRCE
NEWS DEPT
LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFIC
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE
MR DRC CHRISTOPHER CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET
CONFIDENTIAL
MKK 30/ RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
C4 FEB 1986
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
REGISTRY
in
Acton Taken