TNAG-1397-FCO40-1869-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1985 — Page 63

CONFIDENTIAL

6. THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS WIDELY REPORTED IN THE MEDIA ON 1 OCTOBER. COMMUNITY FIGURES AND BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEMBERS INTERVIEWED BY THE PRESS WERE GENERALLY HAPPY WITH THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR SETTING UP THE BLCC. DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEMBER MARTIN LEE SAID THAT PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT LEAST ONE OR TWO WEEKS TO COMMENT ON THE ARRANGEMENTS. ANOTHER DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEMBER SZETO WAH WAS IN FAVOUR OF THE BLCC MEETING IN PUBLIC BECAUSE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE PROCEEDINGS CONFIDENTIAL

WITH A MEMBERSHIP AS LARGE AS 150.

7. SPOKESMAN FOR THE ICAC AND THE JUNIOR POLICE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

BOTH SAID THAT THEIR INCLUSION IN THE BLCC WAS NEW TO THEM, AND

THAT THEY WOULD NEED MORE INFORMATION BEFORE THEY COULD COMMENT ON

IT. THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CHINESE CIVIL SERVANTS ASSOCIATION, KWOK YUEN-HON, SAID THAT THE ALLOCATION OF 6 SEATS TO CIVIL SERVANTS

WAS QUITE REASONABLE.

8. WE SHALL BE WATCHING FURTHER MEDIA REACTION OVER THE NEXT WEEK,

AND WILL REPORT AGAIN NEXT TUESDAY.

YOUDE

'HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD HD/FEÐ

HD/PLANNING STAFF HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RES D (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/MR RENTON

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS NEWS DEPT MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVS MR MARTIN ASST STAFF

CABINET OFFICE

MR MALLABY

CABINET OFFICE

MR DRC CHRISTOPHER

CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADDOCK NO 10 DOWNING ST. MKGU

LONDON.

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY PUSD

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