CONFIDENTIAL
Reference
CC5AAH
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Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
Se paut mints
14.01
AMENDMENTS TO LETTERS PATENT
1.
Received 6/6/90
Hong Kong have sent us their proposals for changes to the Letters Patent and Royal Instructions necessary to implement the proposed changes in the composition of the Legislative Council in 1991. I attach a copy. I also attach a copy of the Chief Secretary's statement outlining the proposals.
2. I should be grateful for your advice and comments on the proposals. They appear to me to be in order although it is not clear to me how the Governor would provisionally appoint a (temporary) holder of an ex-officio position, once Clause XIV of the Royal instructions is deleted. We have not lost sight of your suggestion that we should at the same time amend the Letters Patent to take account of the Bill of Rights. We will remind Hong Kong.
3.
Hong Kong Government have asked for early comments and your early advice would be appreciated.
Mill oftare.
CODE 18-77
M Stone