TNAG-1689-FCO40-2339-Hong-Kong-legislation-regarding-the-control-of-publications--1987 — Page 34

GRS 450

CONFIDENTHAL

FM HONG KONG

TO

MMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1856

OF 141155Z MAY 87

CONFIDENTIAL

3011

HiCD 30 RECEIVED

REGISTRY

15 MAY 1987

TOP

DES-

INC

RICER

82

187

186

TRY

So faken

1815

YOUR TELNO 1303 : FILM CENSORSHIP

MOST GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PROMPT, DETAILED AND VERY HELPFUL RESPONSE

181

2.

MIFT CONTAINS THE TEXT OF A SPEAKHING NOTE, DRAWING ON YOUR ADVICE. THE TEXT WAS READ OUT TO THE OMELCO AD-HOC GROUP (EVENTUALLY AT DICTATION SPEED ON THE HINSNISTANCE OF MARTIN LEE ) WHICH HAS BEEN EXAMINING THE FILM CENSORSHIP BALL.

3. ́THE GROUP'S IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS DINVINDED : MARTHA LEE STÄLL QUESTIONED THE COMPATIBILITY OF EITHER OF OUR FORMULAE (DAMAGE TO GOOD RELATIONS OR SERMOUSLY PREDUDICE) WITH ARTİNGLE 19 OF THE COVENANTI. SELINA CHOW (SPEAKING FOR THE FILM INDUSTRY) FELT THAT THE SCOPE GIVEN TO CENSORS WAS TOO WIDE. SZETO WAH AND PANG CHUN-HOW (THE LATTER ELECTED TO LEGCO BY PRO KMT UNIONS) OPPOSED ANY FORM OF POLITICAL CENSORSHIP. YEUNG PO KWAN THE CHAIRMAN OF THE GROUP AND THREE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WERE CONTENT WITH OUR PROPOSALS

AND ACCEPTED THAT THEY WERE NOT INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE COVENANT.

4. FOLLOWING A LONG MEETING LASTHING ALL MORNING, THE AD-HOC GROUP ASKED US TO CONSIDER FOR THE INTERIM MEASURE ( AND BY IMPLICATION ALSO FOR THE NEW ORDINANCE) THAT THE CURRENT

GUMIDE LINES SHOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO SUBSIDHARY LEGISLATION PLUS

THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS :-

** PROVIDED IN RELATION TO SUB-PARA. 5(U) (DAMAGE TO GOOD RELATIONS) THE CENSOR SHALL NOT BAN A FILM OR ANY PARTICULAR PART OF A FILM

UNLESS HE IS SATISFIED THAT THE FILM OR ANY RELEVANT PART THEREOF-

(H) INFRAWNGES THE RIGHT OR REPUTATION OF OTHERS INCLUDING PUBLIC

FIGURES IN OTHER COUNTRIES: OR

(**H) THREATENS, OR HIS LIKELY TO THREATEN THE TERRITORIAL SECURITY OF HONG KONG.

5. IN RESPONSE WE SAND THAT THIS ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT WOULD POSE VERY DIFFICULT PROBLEMS FOR THE ADMINSTRATION. HOWEVER WE UNDER

-TOOK TO RESPOND AT THE NEXT MEETING, ORIGINALLY SET FOR TOMMORROW BUT IS LIKELY TO BE POSTPONED FOR ABOUT A WEEK AT OUR

REQUEST.

6. WE HAVE SUNCE CONSIDERED FULLY THE GROUP'S PROPOSAL AND ARE OF THE VIEW THAT WE CANNOT LIVE WITH IT, WE COULD OF COURSE TRY TO NEGOTIATE A WATERED -DOWN VERSION BUT WE FEAR THAT THAT WOULD BE

POINTLESS BECAUSE

CONFIDENTIAL

(A)