CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1277
OF 17140OZ MAY 88
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
04
024130
MDHOAN 6227
HRB 040/2
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
OUR TELNO 1137: LORDS DEBATE ON DRAFT BASIC LAW
1.
2-
IT NOW SEEMS VERY LIKELY THAT THE LORDS WILL HOLD A DEBATE ON THE BASIC LAW ON 10 JUNE. A MOTION FOR THE DEBATE WILL HAVE TO BE DECIDED BY 19 MAY. IT IS FOR LORD CLEDWYN TO PUT DOWN THE MOTION, BUT HE IS IN INFORMAL CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE BEEN GIVING SOME THOUGHT TO AN APPROPRIATE FORM OF MOTION. IDEALLY, IN VIEW OF CHINESE SENSITIVITIES, THE MOTION SHOULD BE IN AS GENERAL TERMS AS POSSIBLE, WITHOUT ANY EXPLICIT REFERENCE TO THE BASIC LAW. IT IS HOWEVER UNCLEAR WHETHER LORD CLEDWYN WOULD BE PREPARED TO CONTEMPLATE SUCH A MOTION. THEREFORE PROPOSE TO PREPARE A RANGE OF OPTIONS, FROM THE PURELY GENERAL, TO ONE WHICH MENTIONS THE BASIC LAW SPECIFICALLY. A POSSIBLE COMPROMISE WOULD BE ONE WHICH POINTED TOWARDS THE BASIC LAW WITHOUT SPECIFICALLY REFERRING TO IT. 3.
OUR SPECIFIC IDEAS (TAILORED TO THE CONVENTIONAL FORMAT FOR A LORDS' MOTION) ARE AS FOLLOWS:
(A)
(B)
(C)
WE
QUOTE TO CALL ATTENTION TO RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN HONG KONG AND TO MOVE FOR PAPERS UNQUOTE
QUOTE TO CALL ATTENTION TO CONSIDERATION IN HONG KONG OF ITS FUTURE CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND TO MOVE FOR PAPERS UNQUOTE
QUOTE TO CALL ATTENTION TO PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS IN HONG KONG ABOUT THE DRAFT BASIC LAW FOR THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND TO MOVE FOR PAPERS UNQUOTE
WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR VIEWS ON THESE OR OTHER POSSIBLE MOTIONS, DESKBY 18093OZ.
4.
HOWE
YYYY
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