TNAG-1358-FCO40-1799-Hong-Kong-compatibility-of-membership-of-district-boards-and-1985 — Page 11

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CONFIDENTIAL

IDENTIA

HKK011 14

SRCEIVED IN REGISTRY - 8 JAN 1935

2246

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1

Q+3

DD 04100OZ HONG KONG

GRS 143

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY 041000Z

FM FCO 03154OZ JAN 85

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 13 OF 4 JANUARY.

INFO PEKING

по

in

YOUR TELNOS 19-20: COMPATIBILITY OF MEMBERSHIP OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND REGIONAL COUNCILS WITH MEMBERSHIP OF THE CPPCC

1.

I AM CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU PROPOSE.

2. WE NOTE A NEW ELEMENT IN YOUR DRAFT PAPER FOR EXCO, NAMELY YOUR PROPOSAL THAT IN RESPONSE TO ANY QUESTIONS YOU WOULD MAKE KNOWN THE FACT THAT NPC MEMBERSHIP IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH MEMBERSHIP OF ANY OF THE HONG KONG BOARDS OR COUNCILS IN QUESTION. WE ARE IN AGREEMENT WITH THIS PROPOSAL, BOTH ON LEGAL AND ON GENERAL POLITICAL GROUNDS. BUT YOU WILL NO DOUBT WISH TO DEAL WITH ANY SUCH QUESTIONS IN A WAY WHICH AVOIDED DRAWING SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF HONG KONG LEGISLATION, AND THE IMPLICATION THAT UNDER THESE PROVISIONS THE NPC IS A PARLIAMENT 'OF A FOREIGN COUNTRY'.

HOWE

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

LIMITED

PS

HKD

FED

LEGAL ADV

PS/MR LUCE

MR WILSON

1

CONFIDENTIAL