CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 310
OF 29113OZ JANUARY 91
CONFIDENTIAL
HKC012/1
RECENES hi
INDLA
05 FEB 1991
Thi
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
fe Rusali
TOP COPY Q DIST?
3
167210 MDLIAN 4405
YOUR TELNO 65 : RESEARCH INSTITUTE ON HONG KONG LAWS
1. WE SHARE YOUR VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO SEEK FURTHER CONTACTS WITH MEMBERS OF THE INSTITUTE (PARA 2 OF TUR). HOWEVER, WE NEED TO HANDLE THIS WITH GREAT CARE TO AVOID SENDING THE WRONG SIGNAL TO THE CHINESE SIDE IE THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO INTERFERE IN THE WORK OF THE INSTITUTE OR TO INFLUENCE ITS ADVICE.
2. AT THIS INITIAL STAGE, WE THINK WE SHOULD TRY AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE INSTITUTE'S PROGRAMME OF WORK AND ITS MODUS OPERANDI, PREFERABLY THROUGH LOCAL INTERLOCUTORS OF CAB AND PA'S OFFICE. WE SHALL CONSIDER WHEN AND HOW BEST TO INITIATE CONTACTS
AT A LEGAL LEVEL ONCE WE HAVE OBTAINED A BETTER IDEA OF THE
ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE INSTITUTE. OUR STRATEGY WILL OF COURSE NEED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ADAPTATION OF LAWS FRONT.
3. WE HAVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE ADVISORS OF THE
INSTITUTE (PARA 3 OF TUR)
(A) HENRY HU- AGED 71, BARRISTER, SPECIALISING IN CHING MARRIAGE LAW. APPOINTED LEGCO MEMBER 1976 1983. NOW HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF SHUE YAN COLLEGE. CPPCC MEMBER. ALTHOUGH LIKELY TO HAVE HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AT HEART, UNCERTAIN WHETHER HE WILL PLAY A SIGNIFICANT OR ACTIVE ROLE IN THE INSTITUTE.
(B) KENNETH CHARN-KI CHOW - AGED 38, SON OF FORMER URBAN COUNCILLOR EDMUND CHOW. FORMERLY PARTNER IN FATHER'S SOLICITOR FIRM. CALLED TO THE BAR IN 1988. WAS A BLCC MEMBER. THOUGHT TO BE POLITICALLY AMBITIOUS AND FIRMLY PRO-CHINA AND LIKELY TO BE CIRCUMSPECT ABOUT SUGGESTIONS, HOWEVER INFORMAL, FROM HKG LAWYERS. ESTABLISHING CONTACT AT A POLITICAL LEVEL (IE THROUGH THE DPA) IS LIKELY TO BE MORE PRODUCTIVE.
-
(C) PHILIP PAK-YIU YUEN AGED 56, SOLICITOR, PARTNER IN SUCCESSFUL CONVEYANCING FIRM. CPPCC MEMBER. MEMBER OF NEW HONG
1
PAGE CONFIDENTIAL