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Publication in the Gazette
First Reading and commencement
of the Second Reading debate
Resumption of Second Reading
debate, committee stage
and Third Reading
20 July 1990
25 July 1990
to be notified
CHINA DIMENSION
79.
During the Legislative Council debate on the BOR
on 27 June, both the Honourable
Honourable Tam Yiu-chung
Tam Yiu-chung and the
Honourable Ho Sai-chu spoke strongly against the introduction of a BOR on the ground that there was no need for such a bill in view of the rights already provided for in Chapter 3 of the Basic Law and the likelihood of a BOR
being incompatible with the Basic Law. However, there have been tenuous indications conveyed to us by the Chinese side in private indicating that they might be moving to a position where they did not object to the BOR in principle, but would concentrate on several points of concern. They have suggested that they would not officially raise these concerns until they had the opportunity to study the Bill introduced in the Legislative Council. We have given the Senior Chinese Representative to the JLG a briefing on our
current thinking on various issues raised during the consultation period and will continue our efforts to allay
concerns they may raise with us after the first reading of the Bill in the Legislative Council. Our assessment is that the Chinese attitude now hangs in the
balances. If Mr Maude's visit to Peking goes well, and we
are successful in Our contacts here in allaying major concerns, the Chinese may eventually acquiesce in the Bill, possibly after some face-saving changes. This is however
not by any means yet assured.
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