CONFIDENTIAL
22
нке
011/3
016307 MDHIAN 9652
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 257
OF 24095OZ JANUARY 89
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
MIPT: FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ENQUIRY INTO HONG KONG
TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW WITH MR. DENNIS CANAVAN ON 24 JANUARY 1989.
Q. WHY THE (FOREIGN AFFAIRS) COMMITTEE HAD DECIDED TO INVESTIGATE THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT?
A. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, INCLUDING MYSELF, HAVE RECEIVED REPRESENTATIONS FROM MANY PEOPLE IN HK EXPRESSING CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT, AND PARTICUL- ARLY, ABOUT THE NEW CONSTITUTION, THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW, AND I THINK THE MAIN CONCERN WAS ABOUT THE VERY, VERY SLOW PROGRESS WHICH IS BEING MADE WITH REGARD TO INTRODUCING SOME FORM OF ELECTED DEMOCRACY IN HK.
Q. ARE YOU LIKELY ALSO TO BE INTERESTED IN AREAS SUCH AS VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AND BRITISH NATIONALITY?
A. WELL, I THINK THAT WE MAY VERY WELL BE TOUCHING ON THESE OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES BECAUSE AGAIN, SEVERAL PEOPLE FROM HK HAVE MADE REPRESENTATIONS TO US BUT THE MAIN THRUST OF THE REPORT WILL BE ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL FUTURE OF HK.
Q. WHAT POWERS DO YOU HAVE TO CALL SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN HK OR EVEN THE GOVERNOR TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU AND ANSWER QUESTIONS?
A. WELL, THE SELECT COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS HAS GOT POWERS TO CALL MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING SENIOR MINISTERS. I WILL GET THE POWER TO CALL CIVIL SERVANTS AND BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT IN HK IS A COLONIAL GOVERNMENT, THEN WE WILL HAVE POWERS TO SUMMON WITNESSES FROM MEMBERS OF THE HK GOVERNMENT TOO. WE HOPE WE DON'T HAVE TO USE COMPULSORY POWERS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I WOULD HOPE THAT IF PEOPLE ARE ASKED TO GIVE EVIDENCE, THEN THEY WILL GIVE EVIDENCE WILLINGLY WITHOUT US HAVING TO GO BACK TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AS A WHOLE TO GET A MOTION PASSED TO SUMMON PEOPLE FORMALLY BEFORE US WHO HAVE REFUSED. THAT IS USED VERY
PAGE
1
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.