TNAG-0911-FCO40-1121-Policy-on-housing-and-resettlement-in-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 72

281 OL 24145

HKGOVT G

RTFLDN G

43

HKR 360

RESIVED IN.

28 FEB 1979

PA

REGISTRY

1 Taken

INDEX

No

763

ZCZC LTX672 26083 DXB 385 YY

TwX

1605: PROHONGAID LONDON ONE:

YAX835 26-0828 YHN8 35

GIS 1.0/79 COMMISSIONER EXDIS (FOR BRAY FROM CLARK)

HOUSE OF LORDS POC BOAT PEOPLE

PLEASE PASS THE FOLLOWING TO WILLIAMSON FCO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. REFERENCE FCO TELEGRAM NO CIP OF 21 FEBRUARY 1979.

YOU MAY WISH TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING INTO ACCOUNT:

TEXT OF LETTER DATE 23 FEBRUARY FROM DIS TO EDITOR SCMP STARTS +1. WISH TO EMPHASISE, AS STRONGLY AS POSSIBLE, THAT THE LAW IN HONG KONG DOES ALLOW PEOPLE TO ASSEMBLE, WITHOUT FEAR OF ARREST OR OTHER IMPEDIMENT.

AND I WISH TO DENY, AS STRONGLY AS POSSISLE, THAT THE LAW IN HONG KONG ON PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PROCESSIONS IS REPRESSIVE+ IN CHARACTER, INTENT OR THE WAY IT IS APPLIED. ON THE CONTRARY,, THE LAW IS ESSENTIALLY PROTECTIVE IN NATURE - WITH REGARD NOT ONLY TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE BUT ALSO TO THE SAFETY OF THOSE HO ASSEMBLE AND PETITION.

THE LAW ON THESE MATTERS IS NOT UNIQUE OR PECULIAR TO HONG KONG. IT IS BASICALLY THE SAME AS THAT IN FORCE, FOR EXAMPLE, IN BRITAIN AND MANY OTHER COUNTRIES OF WESTERN EUROPE AND OF THE COMMONWEALTH. MORE

1

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