RESTRICTED
4。
THE LEGAL SYSTEM, AND TO PRESS FREEDOM, WOULD BE.
HONOURED.
AFTER FURTHER DISCUSSION, DURING WHICH THE VISITORS ELABORATED ON THEIR EARLIER POINTS, MR RENTON CONCLUDED AS
FOLLOWS:
(A)
(B)
(C)
(D)
5.
45487 2
HE UNDERSTOOD THE CONCERN EXPRESSED, AND WOULD CONSIDER
THESE, AND OTHER, REPRESENTATIONS CAREFULLY. BUT HE MUST
IN FAIRNESS SAY HE REMAINED UNCONVINCED THAT THERE WAS
ANY CASE FOR ACTION BY HMG TO DISALLOW LEGISLATION
PASSED, AFTER EXTENSIVE CONSULTATION, BY A LARGE MAJORITY
OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN HONG KONG. THIS WOULD BE A
VERY SERIOUS STEP, WITH NO RECENT PRECEDENT, AND WOULD BE
INCONSISTENT WITH THE CONCEPT OF A HIGH DEGREE OF
AUTONOMY FOR HONG KONG AFTER 1997, AS SET OUT IN THE
JOINT DECLARATION. (THE VISITORS SAID THEY TOOK THIS
POINT.)
HE COULD NOT ACCEPT THAT THE APPOINTED MEMBERS OF LEGCO
WERE UNABLE TO REPRESENT OR DID NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS
OF HONG KONG'S PEOPLE. THEIR RECORD CLEARLY SHOWED THAT
THEY DID THIS VERY EFFECTIVELY.
THERE HAD BEEN NO PRESSURE OF ANY KIND FROM THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT ABOUT THIS QUESTION.
HONG KONG HAD A NOTABLY FREE PRESS, AND THE OVERALL
EFFECT OF THE 11 MARCH LEGISLATION WAS GREATLY TO REDUCE
THE POWERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION IN RELATION TO IT. HE
WAS FULLY CONFIDENT THAT THE FREEDOM CURRENTLY AND
CONSPICUOUSLY ENJOYED BY THE MEDIA IN HONG KONG WOULD
CONTINUE UNIMPAIRED. BUT AS THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAD SAID
IN THE DEBATE, THE HKG WOULD CAREFULLY MONITOR THE
SITUATION AND REVIEW THE PROVISION IN THE LIGHT OF
EXPERIENCE. THAT WAS A VERY FAIR STATEMENT.
THE VISITORS SAID THEY PROPOSED TO PREPARE, AFTER THEIR
RETURN TO HONG KONG, A FULL REPORT ON THIS QUESTION, WHICH THEY
WOULD FORWARD TO MR RENTON. MR RENTON SAID HE HOPED THEY WOULD
SUBMIT IT TO THE HKG ALSO, AND THEY AGREED TO DO SO.
SA
HOWE.
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D._(FE)
DEP.HD/PUSD
NEWS.A
PS/MR RENTON
MR GILLMORE
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
-3-
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