несогор
RESTRICTED
63
117242
MDTTAN 8610
(i) c. c. Mr. Sunity, HKD Mr. Shorter, SED Mr. Wye, RAD PUSDYCN)
pa.
(i)c.c.
"Macau.
(ii) pa
do Mr Wighters
RESTRICTED
FM PEKING
TO TELELETTER F CO
TELELETTER N FR
OF 240335Z JULY 91
INFO TELELETTER LISBON, B T C HONG KONG
FROM
TELELETTER
JANET ROGAN, PEKING NFR OF 24 JULY 1991
FOLLOWING FOR F E D, F C O
COPIED TO:
CHANCERY, LISBON
B T C, HONG KONG
24/7
this will need further copying
Aট$ 24/7
MACAO DRAFT BASIC LAW.
1.
A PRELIMINARY VERSION OF THE MACAO BASIC LAW WAS RELEASED BY
THE LAW'S DRAFTING COMMITTEE ON JULY 14 FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
NEITHER WE NOR THE PORTUGUESE EMBASSY HERE HAVE A COPY OF THE DRAFT YET. CHINA DAILY PUBLISHED A COMMENTARY ON 18 JULY, QUOTING XU CHONGDE, A SENIOR MAINLAND EXPERT ON LAW AND POLITICAL SCIENCE AND A MEMBER OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. XU SAID THAT AFTER THEIR
RESPECTIVE HANDOVERS MACAO AND HONG KONG WOULD ENJOY MORE OR LESS''
THE SAME AMOUNT OF AUTONOMY IN HANDLING THEIR OWN AFFAIRS.
THE HONG KONG BASIC LAW WAS SEEN AS A PRECEDENT STIPULATING IN
DETAIL HOW TWO DIFFERENT SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS COULD COEXIST HARMONIOUSLY IN THE SAME COUNTRY.
2.
THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS ARE DRAWN FROM THE CHINA DAILY
COMMENTARY. THE PREAMBLE TO THE MACAO BASIC LAW IS SAID TO GUARANTEE THAT SOCIALIST POLICIES WILL NOT BE IMPLANTED IN THE
SAR AND THAT THERE ARE NO PLANS TO CHANGE THE EXISTING CAPITALIST
SYSTEM OR LIFESTYLE IN MACAO FOR THE 50 YEARS AFTER ITS RETURN
TO THE MAINLAND. THIS CORRESPONDS WITH THE HONG KONG BASIC LAW PREAMBLE. LIKE HONG KONG, MACAO WILL BE GIVEN A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AND ENJOY EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND INDEPENDENT JUDICIAL POWER INCLUDING THAT OF FINAL APPEAL. A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL
WILL BE SET UP IN 1999. AS FOR HONG KONG, MACAO'S BASIC LAW WILL AFFIRM ITS INDEPENDENT FISCAL AND TAX STATUS. IT WILL REMAIN A
FREE PORT AFTER 1999 AND NO TARIFFS WILL BE IMPOSED EXCEPT THOSE
PRESCRIBED BY LAW.
3. THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO BASIC LAWS. ONE LIES IN THE QUALIFICATIONS OF LOCAL LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE
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RESTRICTED