TNAG-1330-FCO40-1757-Future-of-Hong-Kong-test-of-the-acceptability-of-the-Joint-D-1984 — Page 44

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FM HONG KONG 13043OZ NOV 84

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TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3459 OF 13 NOVEMBER

FOLLOWING PERSONAL FOR SIR P. CRADOCK FROM GOVERNOR.

YOUR TELNO 2012: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: TEST OF ACCEPTABILITY.

FOLLOWING IS INTERIM SUMMARY REPORT NO 6 FOR 5 TO 11 NOVEMBER.

(A) OVERALL ACCEPTABILITY.

DURING THIS PERIOD, A FURTHER 436 SUBMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED, INCLUDING 85 FROM ORGANISATIONS. SUBMISSIONS FROM ORGANISATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO COME IN THICK AND FAST BEFORE THE FINAL DATE. OF THE 328 LETTERS FROM INDIVIDUALS, 110 LETTERS USED STANDARD WORDING (SEE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF MY TELNO 3381). THESE WILL BE IDENTIFIED SEPARATELY AND BATCHED WITH OTHER COLLECTIVE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY GROUPS OF PEOPLE. EXCLUDING THE STANDARD LETTERS, THE BREAKDOWN OF THE REMAINING INDIVIDUAL VIEWS BROADLY INDICATES SOME 48 PERCENT IN FAVOUR, 15 PERCENT AGAINST AND 37 PERCENT UNCLEAR. INCLUDING THE STANDARD LETTERS, THE PERCENTAGES INDICATE A BREAKDOWN OF 32 PERCENT IN FAVOUR, 44 PERCENT AGAINST AND 24 PERCENT UNCLEAR.

(B) MAJOR SPECIFIC TOPICS COVERED IN SUBMISSION.

(PLACED IN ORDER OF SIGNIFICANT COMMENT BUT NOT WEIGHTED FOR IMPORTANCE).

(1) JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

SUGGESTIONS ON THE SUBJECTS TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WERE RECEIVED. THESE INCLUDED: TRADE MATTERS AND MATTERS CONCERNING THE FINAL AUTHORITY TO INTERPRET THE

BASIC LAW. IT WAS SUGGESTED ALSO THAT THE DISCUSSIONS IN THE JLG SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC. PEOPLE ALSO CALLED FOR AN EXTENSION OF THE JLG BEYOND 2000 TO 2047.

(2) RIGHTS AND FREEDOM.

FREEDOM OF THE PRESS WAS THE AREA OF MAIN COMMENT DURING THE

PERIOD OF THIS REPORT.

THERE WAS CONCERN THAT PRC MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS CURRENTLY ENJOYED IN HONG KONG. THERE WAS ALSO THE IDEA THAT PRC TROOPS TO BE STATIONED HERE SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN ANY SPECIAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES. THERE WERE REPEATED CALLS FOR CLARIFICATION IN THE BASIC LAW OF THE QUESTION OF FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT AND CIVIL LIBERTIES. THERE WAS ALSO A SUGGESTION THAT SOME INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS E.S. THE U.N.

OR THE HUMAN RIGHTS COURTS AT THE HAGUE, SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO

SET UP OFFICES IN HONG KONG TO MONITOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DETAILS AS INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. IT WAS ALSO SUCCESTED

THAT THE POWERS OF THE POLICE SHOULD BE CLEARLY STATED TO AVOID

ABUSE OF POWER.

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