TNAG-1687-FCO40-2337-Hong-Kong-legislation-regarding-the-control-of-publications--1987 — Page 150

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badly and publicly let down.

10. I therefore believe that Hong Kong were justified in taking

forward the legislation on 11 March, and that we need now to

consider how further lobbying or pressure from those groups

dissatisfied with this decision should be answered. We shall in

particular need to formulate a detailed defensive line in answer to

any Parliamentary interest which is likely to develop; and the

department will now prepare this in consultation with Hong Kong and

Legal Advisers. As a first stage we have agreed with Hong Kong on a draft reply to the Vice Chairman of Times Newspapers, and a copy of

this draft is attached. On the FCCs request that one of their

delegates (probably Mr Biddulph himself) should meet the Secretary

of State, I believe (and Hong Kong concur) that it would be

appropriate for an FCO Minister, but not the Secretary of State

himself, to agree to do so. Hong Kong propose that such a meeting

should be deferred until after Mr Hum, who has this week discussed

this issue with the Acting Governor in Hong Kong, returns to the

office on 23 March. If Mr Renton would agree to see an FCC delegate during the week beginning 23 March, we will ask Hong Kong to relay a message from the Secretary of State informing Mr Biddulph

accordingly, and in addition making the same points as those that we

propose should be made to Sir Edward Pickering.

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