TNAG-1689-FCO40-2339-Hong-Kong-legislation-regarding-the-control-of-publications--1987 — Page 35

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(A) THE OPPOSITION IS UNLIKELY TO ACCEPT ANY FORMULA WHICH DOES NOT SOMEHOW #INCLUDE IN LOCAL LEGISLATION WORDS AND CONCEPTS ENSHRINED AN ARTICLE 19 OF THE CONVENANT

(B) WE WOULD WEAKEN OUR POSITION TO THE EXTENT THAT OUR MINIMUM REQUIREMENT TO BAN SUCH FILMS AS THE COLDEST WINTER IN PEKING WOULD NOT BE MET.

7. WE THINK AT BEST TO STAND BY OUR POSTHON THAT OUR CURRENT PRACT- ¡NCE (AND BY IMPLICATHON OUR PROPOSED NEW CLAUSE) IS NOT INCOMPAT:MBLE WITH ARTICLE 19 OF THE CONVENANT. HOWEVER THE OPPOSINTHON EVEN FUN SMALL NUMBERS CAN BE EXPECTED TO PREPARE FOR A SHOW-DOWN IN LEGCO WHEN THE INTERIM MEASURE AND THE FULL BILL COME BEFORE IT, WE FEAR THERE IS LITTLE WE CAN DO TO AVOID THE CONFRONTATION OF MARTIN LEE AND HIS SMALL GROUP OF SUPPORTERS ARE DETERMINED TO FORCE ONE AND WE WILL KEEP YOU CLOSELY POSTED.

MEANWHILE WE INTEND TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO EXPLAIN OUR POSINTHON TO INFLUENT BAL MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA.

8. AT TODAYS MEETHING THE AD-HOC ALSO ASKED WHETHER THEY COULD MAKE PUBLIC THE TEXT OF OUR SPEAKING NOTE. WE SAND WE HAD TO TAKE ADVICE. GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU SEE ANY OBJECT:HON TO MEETING

THEMS REQUEST.

9. MY SECOND FT REPORTS ON THE LATEST POSITION ON THE FILM ''F

WERE FOR REAL''.

WILSON

YYYY

HMLNAN 2887

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D. (FE)

DEP.HD/PUSD

PS/MR RENT ON

MR MCLAREN MR GILLMORE

COPIES TO:

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS

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