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20.
I would suggest that an informal dialogue with the Supreme People's Court that is restricted to information exchange could continue for a very long time before it was necessary to arrange formal talks on the content of any agreement. During that period of information exchange the Hong Kong Government would be able to monitor the development of this issue in Beijing and be better able to protect Hong Kong's interests.
21.
Mr. Zhang suggested that if further discussions on this issue were desired the Attorney General's Chambers should arrange these through the Foreign Affairs Office of the Supreme People's Court. In my opinion the best way to ensure that this matter, if approved, be kept at an informal level would be for one or two government officers to visit the court in Beijing on a number of 'legal research visits'. The Chinese government has no objection to visits of this kind from AGC's China Law Unit and would probably welcome greater interest in the Chinese legal system.
Bybelle
(Perry Keller)
Consultant
Legal Policy Division
c.c. Secretary for Constitutional Affairs
Registrar, Supreme Court
Solicitor General
Mr. Bernard Whaley, SCC
Mr. John Hunter, SCC
FCO London, FED, attn Ms Pamela Major
British Embassy, Beijing, attn Mr. David Coates
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