CONFIDENTIAL
ZCZC
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO
OF 09170OZ JANUARY 92
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
O
YOUR TELNO 56: BILL OF RIGHTS: REVIEW OF LEGISLATION
1.
None of the options available to us for handling the
question of consultation with the Chinese on amending these
ordinances to bring them into line with the Bill of Rights (BOR)
is free from difficulties. But we agree that, if ExCo are
content, it is right to publish and proceed with the amendments
to the Prevention of Bribery and ICAC ordinances without further
advance discussion with the Chinese and that we should consider
handling of subsequent amendments case-by-case. Subject to your views and those of other addressees, we believe that we should
however let the Chinese know of the publication of the draft
BEFORE MANU) amendments shortly, as a courtesy.
2. There may be tactical advantage in trying to get the first
two amending bills enacted as quickly as possible and not
introducing the other four until after Qian Qichen's visit here
on 9-10 March.
HURD
FUTABH/TG
HKD
DR S D HARKIN
3287