MKDC
40
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
HKD 30/1
RECHIVING
From the Secretary of State
GB
23 APR 1987
REGISTRY "TAction Takeri
тек 97/4
Ane Norma
16 April 1987
да
Thank you for your letter of 3 April.
Copied to turg Сонгуу
Сс
ра
As you will appreciate, this is primarily a
matter for the Hong Kong Government. I should however
make two points. First the legislation passed by
the Legislative Council on 11 March included the repeal of a number of stringent provisions of the
Control of Publications Consolidation Ordinance which
had been part of the laws of Hong Kong for many years, but which have not prevented the Hong Kong media
from being amongst the most free and outspoken in Asia. In reviewing this legislation and deciding upon these repeals, the Hong Kong Government considered that in such a small and densely-populated place
as Hong Kong, it was nevertheless necessary to retain some power to take action against anyone publishing
false news that might threaten public order. то
make it clear that this was the purpose of the provision,
and that it was not intended as a limitation of the
freedom of the press, that power was transferred
Norman Willis Esq
/from