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4. In addition, Bahrin envisages that a panel of recently-retired Hong Kong Judges on contract will be established. Members of the panel will regularly sit
in the Court of Appeal and in the High Court as required.
5. The Minister intends to visit Hong Kong early in March in order to discuss the establishment of the Intermediate Courts with the Chief Justice, to whom I am sending a copy of this letter.
6.
It was not possible for Pengiran Bahrin to put any timescale to these developments. But 1997 is at last clearly in his mind. The fact that he has already visited Singapore and Malaysia in order to inform himself of the organisation of the Intermediate Courts is a good indication that he intends to make early progress. All in all, I regard this as a positive development. We shall, of course, need to bear in mind amendment of the Treaty and the necessity to keep Parliament informed.
Yours ever,
Roger
R Westbrook
CC
The Hon. Mr Justice Yang, Kt
Chief Justice of
Hong Kong
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