TNAG-1553-FCO40-2117-Hong-Kong-Control-of-Publications-Consolidation-Ordinance-19-1986 — Page 263

GKS 200

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

TO ROUTINE FCO

TELNO 176

OF 040640Z FEBRUARY 86

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG

о

CONFIDENTIAL

Lykk 30./. RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

12 FEB 1986

DESK OFFICIA

| REGISTRY

INDEX

PA

Action Taken

HONG KONG TELNO 313: CONTROL OF PUBL

TONS ORDINANCE

Я не код было I'm

I like the

приму

dea of informing

Свиные

1. THE CHINESE MIGHT PERHAPS BE UNHAPPY ABOUT THE REPEAL OF THIS IRDINANCE. BUT I THINK THEY WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO PRODUCE REASONS WHICH THEY WOULD CONSIDER CONVINCING IN JUSTIFYING OPPOSITION TO THE REPEAL, BOTH WITH US AND WITH HONG KONG PUBLIC OPINION.

I THEREFORE DOUBT WHETHER THE CHINESE WOULD BE LIKELY ACTUALLY TO OBJECT TO REPEAL (PARTICULARLY AS SPECIAL POWERS COULD ANYWAY BE ENACTED SHOULD THE SITUATION REQUIRE THEM - PARAGRAPH 5(C) OF TUR).

2. IF YOU DECIDE IN FAVOUR OF REPEAL, I THINK WE SHOULD INFORM THE CHINESE IN ADVANCE OF ANY PUBLIC STATEMENT BY MEANS OF A LOW KEY APPROACH. IF WE WERE TO DO THIS, I SUGGEST THAT:

(A) THE POINT IN PARAGRAPH 5(A) OF TUR RE REPLACED BY: THIS IRDINANCE WAS ENACTED IN 1951, AT A TIME WHEN THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG AND THE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS WERE

ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THOSE PREVALING TODAY''.

11

AND THAT

(R) THE END OF THE FINAL SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 5(B) BE AMENDED TO:

RE REMOVED IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES''.

.

EVANS

the

in a dramat

ли

+

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

DEP HD/PUSD

HD/PUSD

RD (MR WALKER)

PS

PS/LADY YOUNG

PS/MR RENTON

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

SIR J FREELAND MR WILSON

MR CROWLEY PUSD

COPIES TO:- MR ROBERTS

MR FIFOOT

MR WOOD

MR PEIRCE

NEWS DEPT

LEGAL ADVISERS

LEGAL ADVISERS ASSESSMENTS STAFF

MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE

CABINET OFFIC

MR DRC CHRISTOPHER CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET

CONFIDENTIAL