TNAG-1815-FCO40-2576-Hong-Kong-Public-Order-(Amendment)-Bill-1988-1988 — Page 85

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FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 0443

OF 011055Z FEBRUARY 88

HUND 301/21

ния

- 2 FEB 1988

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON,

87/301/1

283

PEKING

024431

MDHIAN 5899

MY TELNO 4418 AND YOUR TELNO 3131: PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE, SECTION 27

THE RECENT VISIT OF MESSRS SOLEY AND HUGHES HAS CAUSED SOME RESURGENCE OF INTEREST IN SECTION 27 OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE. THE SUBJECT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN-HOUSE MEETING ON 8 JANUARY. THE SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MISS LYDIA DUNN, THEN WROTE TO THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO ENQUIRE WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY PLANS TO REVIEW THE NEW SECTION 27 AND, OF SO, WHEN THE REVIEW WOULD BE UNDERTAKEN, AND WHAT METHOD WOULD BE ADOPTED TO ENSURE THAT REPRESENTATIVE BODIES (SUCH AS DISTRICT BOARDS) WERE FULLY CONSULTED.

2.

THE CHIEF SECRETARY HAS NOW REPLIED TO MISS DUNN, SAYING THAT THE HKG HAS DECIDED THAT A REVIEW SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND THAT THE FORM OF THE REVIEW AND THE METHOD OF CONSULTATION TO BE USED WILL BE CONSIDERED NEARER THE TIME.

3. THE CS ANNOUNCED THE INTENTION TO HOLD A REVIEW AND ITS TIMING

THIS NEWS IN A SPEECH IN A SEMINAR ON PRESS FREEDOM HELD YESTERDAY. HAS BEEN GIVEN WIDE COVERAGE AND HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED, EVEN BY THOSE WHO WANT IMMEDIATE REPEAL OF SECTION 27.

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WHO

I HAVE ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM LORD MCGREGOR OF DURRIS, WILL REPRESENT THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM COMMITTEE AND THE INTERNATION- AL FEDERATION OF THE PERIODICAL PRESS BEFORE THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN GENEVA ON 15-19 FEBRUARY. HE WILL SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM 8 WHICH RELATES TO THE REALISATION OF RIGHTS UNDER THE

· UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS AND HAS BEEN ASKED TO DEAL PRINCIPALLY WITH THE LEGAL SITUATION OF THE PRESS IN HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE. HE SAYS THAT WHAT HE WILL SAY ABOUT HONG KONG WILL BE IN LINE WITH THE REPORT OF THE DELEGATION OF THE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM COMMITTEE WHICH VISITED HONG KONG LAST JUNE, BE HE WISHES TO BE ''AS

AND WONDERED WHETHER LITTLE CRITICAL AS POSSIBLE IN CONSCIENCE

OUR MONITORING OF THE PUBLIC ORDER ORDINANCE HAD REACHED A POINT AT WHICH WE COULD INDICATE A POSSIBILITY OF WHETHER OUR ATTITUDE

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