HKD
NH 10/2 Сори
✓ UND
10 February 1993
خی
(3) Ms Bynte
P
10に
ра
qus
Foreign & Commonwealth
Office
London SW1A 2AH
From The Secretary of State
Dear Lord Shawcrons,
Thank you for your letter of 28 January.
It was good
to see you at Chatham House, and in such good form.
You recognise the problem of securing the presence of
an alleged offender before an international court can issue
Advisory or Declaratory Opinions. ICJ Advisory Opinions
have a role to play in certain international situations
confronting the UN, but I do not see a role for them in
relation to individual criminal responsibility. I would
also not favour trials in absentia.
On Hong Kong, I briefed the Chinese Foreign Minister,
in detail, on the constitutional elements of the Governor's
speech in late September, two weeks before the speech was
made. There were no discussions with the Chinese before
that on the Governor's specific proposals, which he was
developing over the summer in Hong Kong. However, we had
raised with them many times our belief that there should be
a change in the Basic Law to increase the number of
directly-elected seats. The Chinese had also told us of
their concerns that the Governor should not propose an
increase in LegCo's directly-elected seats, and should not
appoint liberal members of LegCo on to the Executive
Council. The Governor took both points into account in framing his proposals.
The Rt Hon The Lord Shawcross GBE QC