TNAG-0260-FCO40-296-Legislation-for-prevention-of-bribery-in-Hong-Kong-1970 — Page 197

CONFIDENTIAL

YPHER/CAT A.

ܪܐ܂

IORITY FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELEGRAM NUMBER 547

CONFIDENTIAL.

LAST

REF

37

YOUR TELEGRAM NUMBER 543.

NEX:

REF.

361

TO GOV. HONG KONG.

20 AUGUST 1973.

(HKK)

PREVENTION OF BRIBERY BILL.

THERE APPEARS TO BE CONSIDERABLE MISUNDERSTANDING OVER THIS MATTER. SINCE ROBERTS RAISED THE SUBJECT OF THE BILL WITH MCPETRIE, THE LATTER NATURALLY MENTIONED OBJECTIONS WHICH HE AS A LAWYER SAW TO THE RETENTION OF CLAUSE 10. HE CERTAINLY DID NOT EXPRESS THE VIEW THAT MINISTERS WOULD NOT APPROVE THE CLAUSE ALTHOUGH HE DID SAY THAT IF MINISTERS THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO REFER THE BILL TO THE LAW OFFICERS HE THOUGHT LATTER WOULD SHARE HIS DOUBTS. NOR DID HE SAY OR IMPLY THAT YOU WOULD GET NO ANSWER THIS YEAR''.

2. AT NO STAGE HAS IT BEEN SUGGESTED OR EXPECTED THAT YOU SHOULD DEFER TO INFORMAL OPINIONS FROM OUR LEGAL ADVISERS. THE QUESTION

WHETHER CLAUSE 10 IS TO BE RETAINED IS ONE OF POLICY WHICH WILL

NEED TO BE DECIDED AT MINISTERIAL LEVEL. WE ARE ON THE POINT OF SUBMITTING TO MINISTERS BUT SHALL BE UNABLE TO DO SO BEFORE THE END

OF THIS MONTH. WE SHALL ENSURE THAT MINISTERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THE

VIEWS EXPRESSED IN YOUR PARAGRAPHS 3 TO 5.

3. WE ARE

WE ARE AS ANXIOUS AS YOU ARE TO BRING THIS MATTER TO A CONCLUSION AND YOU MAY REST ASSURED THAT WE SHALL DO OUR UTMOST TO SEE THAT THIS IS DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MEANWHILE YOU SHOULD NOT (REPEAT NOT) TAKE THE ACTION CONTEMPLATED IN YOUR PARAGRAPH 7.

DOUGLAS-HOME

FILES

HCNG KONG DEPT.

SIR L. MONSON

P.S. TO MR. ROYLE

GGGGG

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION U.N.D. - 4 COPIES

COPIES TO :

SIR JAMES MCPETRIE) LEGAL MR. RUSHFORD

) ADVISERS

CONFIDENTIAL