TNAG-1821-FCO40-2584-Emigration-from-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 127

HED 34/5

CONFIDENTIAL

30

Етривк

047362

MDLIAN 9853

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1991

(AMENDED DIST 25/5/88)

OF 24110OZ MAY 88

AND TO PRIORITY PEKING

INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, HKGO NEW YORK INFO ROUTINE HKGO BRUSSELS, HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON

INFO SAVING HKGO SAN FRANCISCO

HONG KONG AGREEMENT : PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUND-UP

BASIC LAW

1.

BASIC LAW CONTINUED TO BE ACCORDED WIDE MEDIA COVERAGE DURING THE PAST WEEK. THE NCNA PUBLISHED A NUMBER OF INTERVIEWS WITH BLDC DRAFTERS. A BLCC DELEGATION SAID ON RETURN FROM PEK ING THAT THEIR

DISCUSSIONS WITH BLDC DRAFTERS HAD TOUCHED ON LEGAL ISSUES AND NATIONALITY. LI HOU WAS REPORTED TO HAVE SAID THAT PEKING WOULD RAISE QUESTIONS ON MAJOR CHANGES INTRODUCED TO THE EXISTING SYSTEMS DURING THE TRANSITION.

2.

THERE WAS GOOD COVERAGE OF CS'S REPLY TO A LEGCO QUESTION THAT IF HKG CONSIDERED THAT THE BL CONTAINED PROVISIONS RUNNING CONTRARY TO THE JD, REPRESENTATIONS WOULD BE MADE TO THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES, PROBABLY THROUGH HMG. SDA DONALD LIAO SAID THAT THE DB'S SHOULD DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD DISCUSS THE BL. THE PAPERS REPORTED THAT CJ WOULD BE ISSUING AN INTERNAL CIRCULAR, ENCOURAGING ALL JUDICIAL STAFF TO SEND THEIR VIEWS ON THE BL TO THE

BLCC.

3.

THE MECHANICS OF OPINION-GATHERING BY BLCC HAS GIVEN RISE ΤΟ SOME CONTROVERSY. SOME DISTRICT BOARDS FELT FRUSTRATED THAT THE BLCC WOULD NOT ACCEPT THEIR VIEWS PRESENTED IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITY, AND A SHATIN DB MEMBER SUGGESTED THAT THE DB SHOULD CHANNEL THEIR VIEWS DIRECTLY TO PEKING. MARTIN LEE ALSO URGED THE OFFICE BEARERS OF THE BLCC WHO WERE ALSO MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL GROUP (WHICH PROMOTES THE GEC CONCEPT) TO WITHDRAW FROM THE GROUP TO AVOID AFFECTING THE IMPARTIALITY OF THE CONSULTATION EXERCISE. BLCC'S CANCELLATION OF AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE BL WAS SEEN BY SOME POLITICAL ANALYSTS AS AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID ADVERSE COMMENTS ON THE DRAFT. SCMP DREW ATTENTION TO A STRONG FEELING THAT

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