TNAG-1391-FCO40-1863-Future-of-Hong-Kong-briefing-for-meetings-and-visits-1985 — Page 56

HK 2ACH

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CALL ON MR LUCE BY MESSRS WONG KWOK-WAH AND KENNETH ASHTON:

3.00 PM ON 5 JUNE 1985

POINTS TO MAKE

1. HMG are

British and Chinese

confident that the agreement, which was ratified by the

governments on 27 May, provides a firm basis for

Hong Kong's continued prosperity and stability. Several indicators

(eg economic) that confidence has returned to Hong Kong since the

signing of the agreement.

PRESS FREEDOM

2.

and

Agreement provides clear guarantees of maintenance of press other specific freedoms (assembly, association, person, speech,

correspondence, travel, movement, strike, demonstration and many

others) after 1997. In particular, provisions of the International

Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International

Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong

Kong will remain in force. This means that all present freedoms

will be preserved after 1997.

3. [DEFENSIVE. If Mr Wong refers to Hu Yaolang's speech published

in April, in which Hu said that papers in China must toe the Party

line.] No doubt he was thinking of the mainland. The agreement

makes clear that there will be a different system in the Hong Kong

SAR.

4.

[DEFENSIVE. If Mr Wong argues that the Basic Law should

describe journalists' rights in more detail than the agreement.]

Basic Law for the Chinese. But obviously vitally important to get

it right. Glad therefore that there will be Hong Kong

representation on the Basic Law drafting committee.

5.

[DEFENSIVE. If Mr Wong argues that the Hong Kong Law Reform Commission should examine those Hong Kong laws which could impinge

on press freedom (eg Control of Publications Consolidation

Ordinance) and that a statutory media council" should be

established.]

Matters for the Hong Kong Government.

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