TNAG-1241-FCO40-1554-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 33

GR 250

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 08094OZ SEP 83

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1321 OF 8 SEPTEMBER

TO PRIORITY FCO

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

631

PEKING TELEGRAM NO 871

CONFIDENTIAL

(32)

MKK040tr

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

12 SEP 1983

DESK OFFICER

INDEX

REGISTRY

PA

Actifin Taken

7

841619

COMMONWEALTH LAW CONFERENCE.

THE NEW ZEALAND COMMISSIONER HERE WAS THE SOURCE OF THIS.

HE READ HIN THE LOCAL HK PRESS A FAIRLY SPECULATIVE REPORT THAT

SOME LAWYERS HERE MIGHT TRY TO USE THE COMMONWEALTH LAW CONFERENCE

AS THE OCCASION FOR MOVING A RESOLUTION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE

INDEPENDENCE OF THE HK JUDICHHARY. AS THE NZ MINISTER FOR JUSTICE

IS COMING FOR THE CONFERENCE, THE COMMISSIONER THOUGHT IT PRUDENT

TO WARN HIM IN CASE OF POSSIBLE PRESS QUESTIONS ON FIRST ARRIVAL.

2. ON THE FACE OF INT SUCH A MOVE SEEMS UNLIKELY SINCE (A) THE CONFERENCE IS ABOUT LAW IN THE COMMONWEALTH GENERALLY

AND NOT HK IN PARTICULAR:

(B) THERE WILL BE NO BUSINESS MEETINGS BUT RATHER A SERIES OF LECTURES, DISCUSSIONS AND SOCIAL GATHERINGS.

3. THERE WOULD THUS BE NO OPPORTUNITY FOR ANY FORMAL MOVING OF A

RESOLUTION. HT MS JUST POSSIBLE HOWEVER THAT DURING DISCUSSIONS

OR QUESTION TIME ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS MIGHT TRY TO MOVE A

RESOLUTION FROM THE FLOOR. BUT THE CHAIRMAN FOR THE OCCASION

WOULD ALMOST CERTAINLY REFUSE TO ALLOW IT.

4. TO GUARD AGAINST THIS POSSIBILITY, HOWEVER, THE ATTORNEY

GENERAL HERE IS MENTHONING THE MATTER TO THE CHIEF JUSTICE

SO THAT THE LATTER CAN ALERT THE CHAIRMEN OF THE VARIOUS

GATHERINGS. THE AG WILL ALSO SPEAK IN DISCOURAGING TERMS TO A

PROMINENT LOCAL LAWYER, (HENRY LYTTON) WHO HAS BEEN VOCAL ON

THE SUBJECT AND WHO WILL BE ATTENDING THE CONFERENCE.

HADDON-CAVE

FUTURE OF HONG KONG

FKD

ED/ELANNING STAFF ED/PUSD

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

MR GIFFARD

MR DONALD MR WEIGHT

[THIS TELEGRAM WAS NOT ADVANCED]

COPIES TO:

MR BURROWS

STR I SINCLAIR LEGAL ADVISER

MR. MARTIN

MR FLOWER

MR COLES

LEGAL ADVISERS

ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE

PUSD

NO 10 DOWNING ST

SIR A PARSONS

11

IT

MR WALKER, RESEARCH DEPT

MR ROBERTS

NEWS D

CONFIDENTIAL

GOGGS