CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
MKD 201/2
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
TELNO 585
OF 30103OZ NOVEMBER 88
017733
7733 19
MDHIAN 378T
TOP COPY
~ Q DIST?
N
INFO IMMEDIATE HKGOS NEW YORK, WASHINGTON, BRUSSELS, GENEVA INFO PRIORITY FCO, PEKING
INFO SAVING SAN FRANCISCO
MIPT: REVIEW OF SECTION 27 Q AND A BRIEF
Q1: WHY DO YOU FEEL YOU CAN DO WITHOUT THIS LAW NOW, WHEN LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO IT WAS ESSENTIAL TO KEEP IT?
A1: MUST BEAR IN MIND THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND. ORIGINAL LAWS
PASSED IN 1951 CONTAINED SOME STRINGENT CONTROL PROVISIONS TO TAKE
ACCUNT OF THE THEN PREVAILING CIRCUMSTANCES. LAWS REVIEWED IN 1986
DECIDED IN FAVOUR OF MAJOR LIBERALISATION. ALL CONTROL PROVISIONS EXCEPT ONE WERE REPEALED. DID NOT FEEL CONFIDENT AT THAT TIME WE COULD GO ALL THE WAY. THEREFORE DECIDED TO KEEP ''FALSE NEWS' TT PROVISION. NOW, TWO YEARS LATER FOLLOWING A FURTHER REVIEW AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE CURRENT PREVAILING CONDITIONS, WE FEEL CONFIDENT WE
CAN TAKE THE FINAL STEP.
Q2: HAS CHINA BEEN CONSULTED? WHAT IS THEIR REACTION?
A2: THIS IS A MATTER FOR HK. WE HAVE NOT CONSULTED CHINA. (IF PRESSED. AS A MATTER OF COURTESY, WE HAVE INFORMED THEM OF OUR INTENTION.)
Q3: UK PRESSURE?
A3: NONE.
Q4: HAVE YOU BACKED DOWN TO INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE?
A4: HK HAS AN EXCELLENT INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION AS ENJOYING ONE OF THE FREEST PRESSES IN THE WORLD. THAT IS ONE REASON WHY SO MANY INTERNATIONAL NEWS ORGANISATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ARE BASED HERE. NATURALLY, IT WAS OF CONCERN TO US THAT SOME PEOPLE OVERSEAS MAY HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD THE POSITION AND THOUGHT WE HAD TAKEN NEW POWERS WHEN INFACT WE WERE LIBERALISING THE LAW AND RETAINING ONLY ONE OLD PROVISION. NOW OUR REVIEW HAS SHOWN THAT WE CAN REPEAL THAT ONE
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