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MDLIAN 74
4.
MARTIN LEE AND SZETO WAH HAVE SINCE TRIED EIGHT OTHER FIRMS OF SOLICITORS. SEVEN HAVE TURNED THEM DOWN, MOST GIVING FEEBLE EXCUSES BUT SOME NOT ATTEMPTING TO DISGUISE THEIR DESIRE TO AVOID PUTTING THEIR CHINA BUSINESS IN JEOPARDY. AN EIGHTH FIRM HAS AGREED TO REPRESENT THEM BUT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NOW HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS.
5. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS IN THE LOCAL PRESS ABOUT MARTIN LEE AND SZETO WAH'S DIFFICULTIES IN FINDING LEGAL REPRESENTATION BUT THERE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN A DEGREE OF SELF-CENSORSHIP, PERHAPS ON LEGAL ADVICE, SO THAT THE FULL FACTS AND IMPLICATIONS OF THIS SORRY TALE HAVE BEEN SLOW TO EMERGE. THE STORY IS, HOWEVER, LIKELY TO REACH THE BRITISH PRESS SOON. JON SWAIN OF THE SUNDAY TIMES HAS LATCHED ON TO THE ISSUE AND HAS BEEN ASKED TO FILE AN ARTICLE FOR NEXT SUNDAY'S EDITION.
COMMENT
6. IT IS DEPRESSING TO SEE SOLICITORS SCURRYING FOR COVER IN THIS WAY.
IT REINFORCES OUR WORST FEARS ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR THE RULE OF LAW IN HONG KONG. THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT MARTIN LEE AND SZETO WAH'S DIFFICULTIES STEM FROM THE DESIRE OF SOME OF OUR LEADING FIRMS OF SOLICITORS TO AVOID JEOPARDISING THEIR LUCRATIVE CHINA BUSINESS, EVEN AT THE EXPENSE OF UNDERMINING THE RULE OF LAW
ITSELF.
PATTEN
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
59
.HK POLICY
HKD
PUSD
FED
DISTRIBUTION
66
NTCD
PLANNERS
RAD
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS//MISS BROOKS LEGAL ADVISERS//MR GILES NEWS D
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD
SIR J COLES
MR HUM
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