CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 824
OF 181412Z OCTOBER 90
HKD241
STRY
22 OCT 1990
GISTRY
Sten
fm alio
THE SOLU
FOLLOWING TELEGRAM NOW REPEATED TO YOU AT REQUEST OF HKD WAS RECEIVED FROM HONG KONG TELNO 3039 OF 17 OCTOBER 90
INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS GENEVA
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
341
154733
MDHOAN 9562
UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE (UNHRC)
1. FOLLOWING JLG XVI, MR P J DYKES, ASSISTANT SOLICITOR GENERAL, VISITED THE UN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN GENEVA. THE VISIT WAS USEFUL AND WE ARE NOW PROPOSING THAT MR DYKES AND MR DARWIN CHEN, DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS, SHOULD RETURN TO GENEVA LATER THIS MONTH TO BE PRESENT DURING PART OF THE MEETING OF THE UNHRC WHICH IS TO TAKE PLACE FROM 22 OCTOBER TO 9 NOVEMBER. MR DYKES IS MAKING THE ARRANGEMENTS DIRECT WITH UKMIS GENEVA BY TELEPHONE.
2. THE VISIT WILL PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MESSRS DYKES AND CHEN TO MEET UNHRC MEMBERS AND TO EXPLAIN CHINESE SENSITIVITIES REGARDING THE BILL OF RIGHTS (BOR) AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE BASIC LAW.
3. THE UNHRC AND OURSELVES SHARE A COMMON INTEREST IN THE BOR SURVIVING 1997 AND DISCUSSION WITH UNHRC MEMBERS AT THIS STAGE SHOULD HOPEFULLY ENSURE THAT THE ISSUE IS SENSITIVELY HANDLED WHEN THE UNHRC CONSIDERS THE REPORT ON HONG KONG IN PUBLIC SESSION IN MARCH NEXT YEAR. WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DISCUSS THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE UN CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS COULD PROVIDE OR CO-ORDINATE ADVISORY SERVICES FOR OUR JUDGES, LAWYERS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS.
4. WE PROPOSE THAT MESSRS DYKES AND CHEN SHOULD BE IN GENEVA FOR WEEK COMMENCING 22 OCTOBER. THEY WOULD PROBABLY LEAVE THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND I.E. ON OR ABOUT 27 OCTOBER. WE FURTHER PROPOSE THAT DARWIN CHEN SHOULD RETURN TO HONG KONG VIA LONDON, STOPPING OFF FOR DISCUSSIONS WITH ALAN PAUL, PAM MAJOR AND JILL BARRETT ON
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