UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 3586
OF 130722Z NOVEMBER 91
UNCLASSIFIED
340/1.
HKD 340
3
161620
MDLIAN 3741
Plw, Int Support file HAD BR0/1
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, BIS NEW YORK INFO ROUTINE HKGO SAN FRANCISCO, UKMIS GENEVA, HKGO GENEVA
13/11
HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUND-UP (6-12.11)
SUMMARY
1. THE COURT OF FINAL APPEAL CONTINUED TO ATTRACT WIDE ATTENTION.
CFA
2. THE DIRECTOR OF THE HK AND MACAU AFFAIRS OFFICE, LU PING, TOLD A DELEGATION OF HK LAWYERS IN PEKING (6.11) THAT HE JLG AGREEMENT ON THE CFA COULD NOT BE CHANGED. IT DID NOT CONTRAVENE THE JD/BL.
HE SAID THE CONCEPT OF HK PEOPLE RUNNING HK SHOULD NOT ONLY APPLY TO THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE, BUT ALSO TO THE JUDICIARY. HK PEOPLE'S OBJECTION TO THE CFA ARRANGEMENT SHOWED THEIR LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES. THE GOVERNOR SAID (6.11) AFTER A PUBLIC FUNCTION THAT THE HKG HOPED TO FIND THE BEST PRACTICAL SOLUTION WHICH WOULD TAKE INTO ACCOUNT CONSIDERATIONS TO ENABLE THE SMOOTH OPERATIONS OF THE COURT AFTER 1997. THE
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SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHINESE TEAM ON THE JLG GUO FENGMIN, SAID (7.11) THAT THE NEXT JLG MEETING WOULD INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS ON THE PRACTICAL DETAILS IN RELATION TO THE SETTING UP OF THE COURT. HE SAID IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO CONSULT LEGCO ON ISSUES TO BE RAISED AT THE JLG BECAUSE THE TALKS WERE CONFIDENTIAL IN ACCORDANCE TO THE JD.
3. THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS MICHAEL SZE DESCRIBED AT LEGCO THAT IT WAS UNFORTUNATE THAT PUBLIC COMMENTS SO FAR FOCUSED ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE COURT WHICH WAS ONLY ONE ASPECT OF THE AGREEMENT. THE AGREEMENT ENABLED HKG TO PROCEED WITH THE LEGISLATIVE, ADMINISTRATIVE AND PRACTICAL ARRANGEMENT FOR ESTABLISHING THE COURT SO THAT IT COULD BE UP AND RUNNING WELL BEFORE 1997. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE COURT TO HAVE MAXIMUM OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND ESTABLISH ITS REPUTATION AND AUTHORITY. HE SAID IF THE COURT WAS TO GIVE CONFIDENCE FOR THE FUTURE, THERE SHOULD NOT BE DOUBT THAT IT WOULD BE ALE TO CONTINUE AFTER 1997 (7.11).
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