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TELNO 2119
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Y OUR TELNO 2929: PUBLIC ORDER (A MENDMENT) ORDINANCE: CALL BY LORD
M CGREGOR OF DURRIS.
1.
LORD MCGREGOR CALLED ON LORD GLENARTHUR ON 6 AUGUST TO
HE DISCUSS THE HONG KONG PUBLIC ORDER (A MENDMENT) ORDINANCE. GAVE THE MINISTER A COPY OF THE REPORT BY THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM COMMITTEE DELEGATION OF ITS VISIT TO HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE IN JUNE 1987. A PHOTOCOPY OF THE REPORT FOLLOWS FOR SASI BY BAG.
2.
THE
LORD MCGREGOR'S MAIN POINTS WERE THAT GIVEN HONG KONG' S PREVIOUS EXCELLENT RECORD IN TERMS OF PRESS FREEDOM, HER RECENT LEGISLATION SET A POOR EXAMPLE FOR SE ASIA NOW AND FOR THE CHINESE AFTER 1997. WHILE THE PRESENT HONG KONG ATTORNEY GENERAL'S GUIDELINES HAD MADE CLEAR THAT THE LEGISLATION WAS IN PRACTICE UNENFORCEABLE, THIS COULD CHANGE UNDER A FUTURE AG. OVERALL EFFECT ON THE HONG KONG PRESS WAS A QUOTE CHILLING ONE UNQUOTE: HONG KONG JOURNALISTS WOULD HENCEFORTH HESITATE TO WRITE ABOUT CHINA IN CASE THEY WERE SUBSEQUENTLY COMPELLED TO REVEAL THEIR SOURCES IN COURT. THE OVERALL EFFECT OF THE LEGISLATION W AS BAD BOTH LOCALLY AND IN TERMS OF HONG KONG'S IMAGE OVERSEAS: LORD MCGREGOR HAD THAT DAY RECEIVED A US CONGRESSIONAL REPORT IN WHICH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE QUOTED AT LENGTH FROM THE DELEGATION'S PAMPHLET. THE MATTER WOULD ALSO
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