TNAG-1441-FCO40-1925-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 185

T

ZCZC

LNHPAN 0462 OCMIAN 4172

CONFIDENTIAL

TT PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO PEKIN

18100OZ JUN

GRS 231

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO TELELETTER PEKING

TELELETTER

OF 18100OZ JUNE 86

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG

FROM C E LEEKS, HONG KONG DEPARTMENT, FCO

TO D G BLUNT ESQ, BRITISH EMBASSY, PEKING

COPIED TO AL LANG ESQ, CLERK OF COUNCILS, HONG KONG PROCEDURES FOR MAKING SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION

2.

! REFER TO MR LANG'S TELELETTER TO YOU REF CRLM 393/85 OF 78) 12 JUNE, COPIED TO ME.

ALTHOUGH THESE PROPOSALS ARE SUPERFICIALLY UNCONTROVERSIAL, IN VIEW OF THE CHINESE SENSITIVITIES OVER EVEN TECHNICAL CHANGES TO HONG KONG'S CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE WISE FOR YOU TO BE EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO CHINESE ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE BILL. NEITHER WE NOR LEGAL ADVISERS SEE ANY DIFFICULTY WITH THE LINE SUMMARISED IN PARA 3 OF TUR.

3.

WE ASSUME THAT HONG KONG'S OTHER PROPOSAL (PARA 4 OF TLUR) WILL NOT BECOME PUBLIC UNTIL A RESOLUTION IS MOVED IN LEGCO ON 9 JULY. NEVERTHELESS YOU WILL NEED TO BE EQUIPPED TO ANSWER ANY FURTHER CHINESE QUERY ONCE THE RESOLUTION IS MOVED. SUBJECT TO ANY FURTHER VIEWS FROM HONG KONG, WE SUGGEST YOU MIGHT EXPLAIN THIS CHANGE TO THE CHINESE BY POINTING OUT THAT UNDER PRESENT STANDING ORDERS LEGCO MEMBERS CAN ONLY SPEAK ON SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION IN ORDER TO CRITICISE IT (1.E. BY MOVING AN AMENDMENT) OR BY CALLING FOR OR PARTICIPATING IN A DEBATE. THIS PURELY TECHNICAL CHANGE WILL IN FUTURE ENABLE MEMBERS TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION.

SIGNED C E LEEKS

OCHIAN 4172

ANAN

ARR 011/1

O

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 24 JUN 1986

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