CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1137
OF 04130OZ MAY 88
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 04da.
88
TOP COPY O DIST ?
100
161306
MDHOAN 5255
BASIC LAW: POSSIBLE PARLIAMENTARY
DEBATE
WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE GIST OF 29 APRIL THAT RADIOS 1 AND 3 REPORTED THAT LORD GLENARTHUR HAD AGREED TO A REQUEST FROM
1.
GEORGE FOULKES MP FOR A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON THE DRAFT BASIC LAW. WE HAVE ALSO BEEN APPROACHED BY ZHANG YOUYUN, WHO HAD HEARD SIMILAR REPORTS.
2
YOU WILL WISH TO BE AWARE THAT THE REPORTS ARE INCORRECT. 3. FOR YOR PRIVATE INFORMATION, THERE WAS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN LORD GLENARTHUR AND MR FOULKES ON 27 APRIL. LORD GLENARTHUR SAID ONLY THAT EVERYONE WOULD NEED TIME TO STUDY AND DIGEST THE DRAFT BASIC LAW, WHICH SEEMED TO ARGUE AGAINST HAVING ANY DEBATE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. MR FOULKES SAID HE ENTIRELY AGREED. HE ADDED THAT MR KAUFMAN WAS INCLINED TO KEEP HONG KONG AS A SEPARATE ISSUE FOR DEBATE RATHER THAN INCLUDE IT IN A MORE GENERAL FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE. (COMMENT: IT THUS SEEMS LIKELY THAT ANY EVENTUAL DEBATE WILL BE DEVOTED SPECIFICALLY TO THE BASIC LAW).
4.
THERE IS LIKELY TO BE A DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON 8 JUNE, ON A NEUTRAL MOTION TABLED BY THE OPPOSITION AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT. BUT THIS IS NOT YET PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE.
HOWE
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
50
MAIN
49
HONG KONG AGREEMENT RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HKD
HD/FED
PS/LORD GLENARTHUR PS/MR EGGAR
PS/PUS
MR MCLAREN
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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