CONFIDENTIAL
41813 - 1
REVISE AND UPDATE EXISTING LEGISLATION, THE COMMONWEALTH PRESS UNION SHARES THE MISGIVINGS EXPRESSED BY HONG KONG EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS THAT THE LAW AS NOW AMENDED IS LIABLE TO BE USED TO PLACE NEW CONTROLS ON THE PRESS IN HONG KONG AND ALSO TO HAVE
CONSIDERABLE IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM OF SPEECH.
THE COMMONWEALTH PRESS UNION HAS BEEN MADE AWARE THAT AMONG
PUBLISHERS IN HONG KONG THERE IS A STRONG FEELING THAT THE
AMENDMENT HAS BEEN ENACTED WITH UNDUE HASTE. FOR THIS REASON THE
COMMONWEALTH PRESS UNION ADDS ITS VOICE TO THOSE URGING A REVIEW
OF THE NEW LAW AND WILL WISH TO REQUEST BOTH YOU AND THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, WHEN HE ARRIVES IN HONG KONG NEXT MONTH, TO RECEIVE OUR REPRESENTATIONS IN THIS MATTER WHICH IS OF
DEEP CONCERN TO OUR MEMBERS.
ENDS
2. WE PROPOSE TO RECOMMEND THAT THE SECRETARY OF STATE SHOULD
REPLY ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
BEGINS
1.
THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME A COPY OF LORD ARDWICK'S
MESSAGE TO THE ACTING GOVERNOR OF HONG KONG.
2.
AS YOU WILL APPRECIATE, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S WISH
TO REVISE ITS PREVIOUS LEGISLATION ON THE CONTROL OF
PUBLICATIONS, AND IN THE PROCESS TO MAKE CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO OTHER LOCAL HONG KONG LEGISLATION, IS PRIMARILY
A MATTER FOR THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES THEMSELVES. IT IS FOR
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO ASSESS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE WHAT
LEGISLATIVE MEASURES MAY BE NEEDED TO ENSURE THAT BOTH THE
REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLIC ORDER AND THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS ARE
MET.
3. I CANNOT ACCEPT THAT THE LEGISLATION WAS ENACTED WITH
UNDUE HASTE. THE PROVISION TO WHICH THE COMMONWEALTH
PRESS UNION OBJECT REPLACES (WITH VARIATIONS) A PROVISION WHICH, AS SECTION 6 OF THE CONTROL OF PUBLICATION CONSOLIDATION ORDINANCE, HAS BEEN ON THE HONG KONG STATUTE BOOK SINCE 1951. THE CURRENT BILLS WERE FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE ON 19 DECEMBER 1986.
THEREAFTER THE MEASURES WERE DISCUSSED EXTENSIVELY BETWEEN
2
CONFIDENTIAL
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