CONFIDENTIAL
138
176124
MDLOAN 6663
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1061
OF 011255Z JUNE 90
HKD2
- 4 JUN 1990
live
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING, BTC HONG KONG
attached
YOUR TELNO 1708: BILL OF RIGHTS
1.
Lee 142
143.
WE NOTICED IN PARAGRAPH 8 OF YOUR LATEST WEEKLY ROUNDUP OF HONG KONG PRESS COVERAGE THAT THE HONG KONG ECONOMIC TIMES HAD QUOTED A CHINESE SOURCE AS SAYING THAT CHINA WAS GREATLY DISSATISFIED WITH THE BRITISH BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT YET AGREED TO DISCUSS THE DRAFT BILL OF RIGHTS AND TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IT. THE SOURCE WENT ON TO SAY THAT CHINA BELIEVED THAT THE BILL HAD INFRINGED MORE THAN 5 PROVISIONS OF THE BASIC LAW AND WERE WORRIED THAT THE BILL WOULD UNDERMINE LAW AND ORDER.
2. THE SUGGESTION THAT WE BEEN UNWILLING TO DISCUSS THE BILL WITH THE CHINESE IS OF COURSE A TRAVESTY OF THE TRUTH. IT SEEMS TO US THAT WE SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT PUBLICLY. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS MIGHT BE DONE AND TIMING.
3. WE ALSO WONDER WHETHER WE SHOULD NOT BE APPLYING MORE PRESSURE ON THE CHINESE TO COME FORWARD WITH THEIR DETAILED COMMENTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, REMINDING THEM THAT THIS OFFER WAS CLEARLY MADE AT JLG XV AND ALMOST A MONTH HAS PASSED WITHOUT ANY SUBSTANTIVE RESPONSE FROM THEM. GIVEN OUR NEED TO REFUTE THEIR PUBLIC LINE ABOUT OUR ATTITUDE TO DISCUSSING THE BILL, SUCH AN APPROACH WOULD BE ALL THE MORE DESIRABLE.
4. WE HAVE NOTED UKREP JLG'S EFFORTS TO ENGAGE THE CHINESE IN A DIALOGUE. FROM THESE CONTACTS AND OTHER INDICATIONS, IT IS NOT ENTIRELY CLEAR TO US WHETHER THE CHINESE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE DETAILS OF THEIR QUOTE CRITIQUE UNQUOTE OF THE BILL, OR WHETHER THEY HAVE NO SERIOUS INTENTION OF DISCUSSING THE DETAILS WITH US UNLESS AND UNTIL WE AGREE TO CONSULTATION ON THEIR
IF THE LATTER, THERE IS PERHAPS LITTLE MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. BUT IF THE FORMER, THE SOONER WE GET THE CHINESE TO LET US HAVE THEIR VIEWS, THE BETTER, GIVEN THAT THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PERIOD IS DUE TO END SOON.
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