From The Minister of State
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
HKB 011/3
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 2 AUG 1988
DESK OFFICER
HINDER
E
PA
Dear Russell.
London SW1A 2AH
REGISTRY
Action Taken
28 July 1988
648
(with incoming letter)
Mix Jenie Yip, GDB, HK.
Ente +pa
1/8 Mayood
W/29/7
etwzalt
645
Thank you for your leter of 19 July to Tim Eggar. replying in his absence and as Minister with special responsibility for Hong Kong.
I am
As you say, this is clearly a key phase in the process of drafting the Basic Law. That is why it was right that both Houses of Parliament should have had an opportunity to debate it at this stage; and why it was so useful for Members such as yourself to set out your views in such specific terms. I am also sure that Parliament will wish to have another look at the revised draft after it is published next year. I have every reason to expect that there will be widespread consultation at that stage too.
I have studied carefully the points you made in your speech in the House on 15 July, in particular the various concerns you expressed about Articles 16-18, 38, 169 and 172, as well as your comments on the political system in Article 171 and Annex III. I know Tim Eggar would have wished to discuss them more fully in his winding-up speech in the Debate, had time allowed.
First, the question of the relationship between the central authorities and the Hong Kong SAR. We are very sensitive to the concerns that Hong Kong's legislative power and the independence of the judiciary could be affected by intervention by the National People's Congress and the Central People's Government. We too have been looking critically at the key Articles on this relationship, and in particular at Article 169.
Sir Russell Johnston MP
House of Commons
LONDON
SW1A OAA
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