TNAG-1693-FCO40-2343-Publication-of--Spycatcher--by-Peter-Wright-in-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 16

WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987

NEED TO SAFEGUARD COMMON GOOD STRESSED

* * *

AS POSSIBLE

THE

FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION SHOULD BE MAINTAINED AS FAR AND THAT ANY EXCEPTION TO THAT PRINCIPLE MUST BE PROVEN TO BE FOR

WHEN THE GOVERNMENT KONG OF HONG PEOPLE THE

THE HON OVERALL BENEFIT OF CONSIDERS THE NEED FOR FILM CENSORSHIP, THE CHIEF SECRETARY, DAVID FORD, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE ADDED THAT IF ANY RESTRICTION WAS TO BE IMPOSED, IT MUST THE MINIMUM NECESSARY TO SAFEGUARD THE COMMON GOOD.

BE

HON MARTIN

MR FORD WAS SPEAKING AGAINST A MOTION MOVED BY THE LEE TO DELETE A CLAUSE OF THE FILM CENSORSHIP REGULATIONS 1987.

WAS TO SAFEGUARD

USED AS FROM BEING

THE A

3A(VII) HE SAID THE AIM OF REGULATION

IT PREVENTING HONG KONG BY INTERESTS OF PROPAGANDA BASE AGAINST OTHER TERRITORIES.

SHOULD BE INDIVIDUAL

OF MAINTAINING

IN CONSIDERING THE MOTION, HE SAID SERIOUS THOUGHTS THE NEED TO PRESERVE GIVEN TO THREE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS FREEDOMS; THE IMPORTANCE TO HONG KONG'S ECONOMY RELATIONS WITH ITS TRADING PARTNERS AND THE PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG.

GOOD POLITICAL AND

THE RIGHT ONE ΤΟ MAKE,

"AS IN SO MANY CASES THE JUDGEMENT ON HOW TO STRIKE BALANCE BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PRINCIPLES IS A DIFFICULT MR FORD NOTED.

་་

BASED ON

THAT

CENSORSHIP ΤΟ NEED

HAVE ANY WHETHER THERE WAS A

HAD INDICATED REGULATION 3A(VII), HE SAID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

IN COMMON WITH MOST OTHER TERRITORIES, HAD A NATURAL DESIRE HONG KONG,

THE SCOPE FOR TO LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ITS NEIGHBOURS AND TO DIMINISH ANY HOSTILITY OR INTERNATIONAL RECRIMINATIONS.

ALSO TAKEN THE VIEW ITS PEOPLE LIVELIHOOD OF ΤΟ TRADE,

TERRITORY'S THE

IN ADDITION, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD THAT BECAUSE HONG KONG'S WHOLE ECONOMY AND WAS UNIQUELY DEPENDENT UPON ITS ABILITY RELATIONS WITH ITS TRADING PARTNERS MUST NOT BE PUT AT RISK.

RISK IT

SHOULD WE WHY DO NOT SEE "FOR BOTH THESE REASONS WE

OUR DAMAGE TO HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH OTHER TERRITORIES BY ALLOWING

OF EITHER

MR FORD TO BE USED AS A PLACE WHERE POLITICAL FILMS, CRITICAL

SHOWN, SHOULD BE NEIGHBOURS OR OF OUR TRADING ADDED.

PARTNERS,

FILMS WERE OF THE

HE STRESSED THAT THE DECISIONS OF NOT TO SHOW SUCH

ON JUDGEMENT MADE ON THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN INITIATIVE, BASED LIKELIHOOD OF THE FILM CAUSING OFFENCE TO OTHER TERRITORIES.

MR FORD POINTED OUT THAT OVER THE PAST 14 FILMS HAD BEEN SUBMITTED FOR CENSORSHIP.

YEARS ABOUT 10,000

24

ONLY ONE OR TWO 'A TOTAL OF 15 FILMS, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES HAVE BEEN BANNED.

A YEAR,

FROM NINE

/HE ADDED