(A) DID YOU KNOW THAT HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN CENSORING
FILMS ILLEGALLY?
ANSWER: I UNDERSTAND THAT HKG WERE ADVISED BY THEIR LAWYERS THAT
THERE WAS SOME DOUBT ABOUT THE LAW IN THIS RESPECT, NOT THAT THE IR ACTIONS WERE '' ILLEGAL'' AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION. BUT WITHOUT
A CHALLENGE IN THE COURTS THE LEGAL POSITION HAS NOT BEEN TESTED.
NO DOUBT THAT HONG KONG PUBLIC WOULD WANT SOME CENSORSHIP OF FILMS, FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN. UNDERSTAND THAT THE QUESTIONS OF FILM CLASSIFICATION, AND CENSORSHIP ARE NOW BEING DISCUSSED
WITH OMELCO.
(B) POLITICAL CENSORSHIP FOR FEAR OF UPSETTING CHINA. ANSWER: UNDERSTAND THAT A TINY PROPORTION OF FILMS CENSORED OVER
THE YEARS HAVE BEEN SO BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSIDERED LIKELY TO DAMAGE HK'S RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES, AND THAT NORTH KOREAN AND NORTH VIETNAMESE FILMS HAVE BEEN AMONG THOSE CENSORED
(1.E.) NOT MERELY THOSE FROM TAIWAN).
JLG
4. ITEMS ABOVE HAVE OVERSHADOWED INTEREST IN THE JLG.
PRESS REPORTS WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE NOTING THE SUCCESSFUL AGREEMENT ON RIGHT OF ABODE AND DOCUMENTS OF IDENTITY IN PARTICULAR. THE FACT THAT DEFENCE AND PUBLIC ORDER WERE DISCUSSED WAS OF OBVIOUS INTEREST TO THE PRESS BUT THIS HAS NOT SPARKED OFF ANY SENSATIONAL OR MILD SPECULATION. IN FACT PRESS COVERAGE HAS BEEN
RELATIVELY LOW KEY.IF ASKED ABOUT THIS MR. RENTON MAY CARE TO STRESS (A) THIS WAS A PRELIMINARY EXCHANGE:
(B) STARTING POINT FOR BOTH SIDES IS THE PROVISIONS OF THE JD:
(C) THERE WILL BE EXPERT TALKS (VENUE, TIMING, ETC. TO BE DECIDED
THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS).
5. MR. RENTON MAY WISH TO SAY THAT THIS JLG PRODUCED SOME GOOD RESULTS, AS SET OUT IN THE COMMUNIQUE, E.G. AGREEMENT ON
HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL AND UNCTAD, ON LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE RIGHT OF ABODE ENDORSEMENT IN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, AND ON TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR DOCUMENTS OF IDENTITY (WHICH SOME 350,000 PEOPLE HOLD).
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
6. MR. RENTON WILL WISH TO STICK TO THE STANDARD LINE ON THIS, STRESSING NO PRECONCEIVED IDEAS, GENUINE REVIEW OF PUBLIC OPINION TO BEGIN WITH GREEN PAPER IN MAY, WHITE PAPER AROUND THE END OF THE YEAR. Q AND A AS FOLLOWS:
(A) DID JLG DISCUSS:
ANSWER: NOTHING TO ADD TO THE
2 RESTRICTED
((8)