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HE SAID HE WANTED TO ESTABLISH EXACTLY WHAT POWERS THE FOREIGN
OFFICE POSSESSED IN THIS MATTER AND WHAT ACTIONS THEY COULD
TAKE.
*WE ARE IN AN EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT PERIOD WHEN THE
MAINTENANCE OF CONFIDENCE IS PARAMOUNT.'
THE TELEX MESSAGE WHICH MR MORRIS HAD RECEIVED FROM THE HONGKONG
LAWYERS SAID THAT AMENDMENTS MADE TO THE BILL STILL DID NOT
SATISFY THEM.
IN PARTICULAR THE BILL STILL MAKES IT A CRIMINAL OFFENCE TO
''INSULT
A LEGCO MEMBER AND IT WOULD BE AN OFFENCE TO INTERFERE
THAT IS, WHILE IT WAS
WITH LEGISLATION BEFORE IT HAD BEEN LAID
STILL ONLY EXPECTED TO BE BROUGHT FORWARD.
MR MORRIS SAID THE CREATION OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES WAS SOMETHING
THAT HAD TO BE CONSIDERED EXTREMELY CAREFULLY. HE WANTED TO DISCOVER
WHETHER IT MIGHT NOT BE BETTER TO SLOW THE PASSAGE OF THE LEGISLATION
TO GIVE MORE TIME FOR THOROUGH CONSULTATION.
ENDS.#
YOUDE
LIMITED
HKD
PS.
PS/MR LUCE
SIR W HARDING
MR WILSON
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