CONFIDENTIAL
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014465
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP JLG HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 19
OF 20020OZ JANUARY 92
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, HONG KONG
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YOUR TELNOS 52 AND 59, PEKING TELNO 8 AND HONG KONG TELNO 134: BILL OF RIGHTS: REVIEW OF LEGISLATION
1. I AGREE WITH HKG THAT THE ONLY REAL CHOICE IS BETWEEN ENGAGING IN ADVANCE DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE AND PROCEEDING WITHOUT ANY SUCH DISCUSSION. I DOUBT WHETHER, ON THIS ISSUE, THE CHINESE WOULD APPRECIATE THE COURTESY OF BEING MERELY INFORMED OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS JUST BEFORE PUBLICATION. THEY MIGHT EVEN REACT BY DEMANDING A POSTPONEMENT WHILE THEY STUDIED THE PROPOSAL, ARGUING THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS, GIVEN THAT THE FREEZE PERIOD DOES NOT END IN JUNE.
2. THERE IS THEREFORE A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY THAT EVE OF PUBLICATION NOTIFICATION WOULD SERVE ONLY TO IRRITATE THE CHINESE AND COMPOUND THE POTENTIAL DIFFICULTIES OVER THESE AMENDMENTS (AND THE OTHER BILL OF RIGHTS-RELATED AMENDMENTS, ABOUT WHICH HKG HAVE TELEGRAPHED SEPARATELY HONG KONG TELNOS 148 AND 150).
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.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
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