CALL ON LORD CAITHNESS BY MR RON ARCULLI, 10 DECEMBER
POINTS TO MAKE
LegCo Debate on Court of Final Appeal
-
Have seen reports of the debate in LegCo [34 in favour;
11 against; 4 abstentions; 9 non-voters]. Disappointed not
more members were impressed by the arguments of the
Chief Secretary, the Attorney General and the
Secretary for Constitutional Affairs.
- Perhaps, in months to come, members might reconsider those
arguments and ask themselves whether they may not be letting
the best be the enemy of the good.
Can be no question of reopening an agreement reached in
the JLG. That is a fact of life.
- The simple question is: do people in Hong Kong want a
Court of Final Appeal to start working soon, or do they want
to wait till 1997?
Consultation with LegCo on JLG Issues
- We have an obligation (JD 196) to maintain the
confidentiality of JLG discussions.
- It would in any case severely undermine our negotiating position to debate it publicly in advance.
-
Nevertheless the Hong Kong administration will be keeping in touch with LegCo over a very wide range of issues.
KAYAAO/1