A
PS/Lord Caithness
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CIVIL LIBERTIES IN HONG KONG
TA PA Pener
HKB Oll 15
FROM: A R Paul
Hong Kong Department
DATE: 11 September 1990
Cc: Mr McLaren
Mr Burns
Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
Problem
1. A letter from Mr Bowen Wells MP to Lord Caithness
following up previous correspondence on civil liberties in
Hong Kong.
Recommendation
2. I recommend that Lord Caithness reply in the terms of
the attached draft. The Hong Kong Government have been
consulted.
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Background
3. This is the third letter from Mr Wells in a series on
civil liberties in Hong Kong. This one contains nothing new, although he goes a little further than before in
asserting that the actions taken by Hong Kong demonstrate a
hostile attitude towards the development of democracy in the
territory.
4.
The cases are still sub judice, pending appeal. Our DE previous replies to Mr Wells have pointed out the
circumstances in Hong Kong and the fact that the relevant
laws will be reviewed to ensure that they are compatible
with Bill of Rights and the International Covenant on Civil
EELAIG/1
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