HKC 37018
AFR 1992
4 APR 12
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
ла
Appeals ствуй
Mh Bunk
Sir John Cole
Thank
کارما
you.
Tim Simo
13/4
(this has been resolved to the
3
HK) (Fr. Michelle)
654
مشکوت
we hall now bind to the
bill in the forthcoming Legiclative Programe
contingency
basins and
the wole 15.
flu
From:
Sir John Coles
SIR JOHN COLES
Date:
10 April 1992
Cc:
PS/PUS satisfaction of Sir John (des)
Ρ
Private Secretary
PS/Mr Garel-Jones Mr Broomfield
Mr Crowe
Mr Fairweather
Mr Burns
Mr Jay
Mr Goodenough
Mr Chamberlain
Mr Eaton
Mr Cox, HKD
LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME: HONG KONG COURT OF FINAL APPEAL
4
1.
2.
Mr Berman's minute of 9 April refers.
I am not at all sure that it is right to advise a Foreign Secretary to prevail upon his colleagues to get the question of the Court of Final Appeal Enabling Bill over and done with at an early stage of the new Parliament.
3.
The Court remains a controversial matter in Hong Kong. It will only come into being if LEGCO can be persuaded to enact legislation. We cannot be sure that they will, especially given the rapidly changing character of LEGCO. Our present policy is to keep the matter out of the headlines and hope that in time our arguments will make the necessary impression on LEGCO.
4.
If Ministers were to introduce a Bill early in the next Parliament it might not get an easy ride. The opposition in Hong Kong to the arrangements proposed for the Court could easily be reflected here. The debate could well stir up Hong Kong opinion at a time when all the nervousness over a new Governor and other issues will be present.
APRABH
CONFIDENTIAL AND PERSONAL
/5.
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