CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESKBY 05070OZ FCO
TELNO 2224
OF 05060OZ JULY 89
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 011/3
Cod 198 6001
TOP COPY COPY Q DIST ?
(4427
074677 MDHIAN 2013
PERSONAL FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY AND PAUL, HKD FROM GOVERNOR
SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT IN THE HOUSE, 5 MAY
1. IN THE DEBATE IN LEGCO TODAY ON THE FAC REPORT THE CHIEF SECRETARY WILL SPEAK AS FOLLOWS ON A BILL OF RIGHTS:
''RECENT EVENTS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED CONCERNS WITH THE COMMUNITY OVER THEIR RIGHTS AND FREEDOM. UNDERSTANDABLY SO. THE FAC REPORT RECOMMENDS THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT INTRODUCE A BILL OF RIGHTS AS SOON AS THE WORK ON THE REVIEW OF THE EXISTING LAWS MAKES IT PRACTICABLE. THAT IS OUR INTENTION. WE WILL BE INTRODUCING A BILL OF RIGHTS IN AN APPROPRIATE FORM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AS YOU SIR HAVE INDICATED IN YOUR RECENT STATEMENT TO THIS COUNCIL YOU WILL BE SAYING MORE ABOUT THIS IN YOUR OCTOBER SPEECH.'
2. I SUGGEST YOU AMEND THE RELEVANT PARAGRAPH OF THE SECRETARY OF
STATE'S STATEMENT ON THE FOLLOWING LINES:
I 'THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE ALSO ANNOUNCING TODAY THAT THEY WILL INTRODUCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE A BILL OF RIGHTS WHICH WILL FORM PART OF THE EXISTING LAW AND BE ABLE TO CONTINUE AFTER THE TRANSFER
OF SOVEREIGNTY
1
3. THE PRECISE FORM OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, A HIGHLY COMPLICATED ISSUE. WE CAN ONLY ACTUALLY INTRODUCE A BILL INTO LEGCO ONCE WE HAVE SOLVED ALL THE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS, POSSIBLY TOWARDS THE END OF THIS YEAR OR EARLY NEXT YEAR. I AM OF COURSE ALREADY COMMITTED CIN A STATEMENT TO LEGCO AFTER MY RETURN FROM LONDON) TO SAYING MORE ABOUT THIS IN MY ANNUAL SPEECH TO LEGCO ON
GOVERNMENT POLICY IN OCTOBER.
4. I SUGGEST YOU CHECK WITH ROBIN MCLAREN THE PRECISE WORDING OF THE PARAGRAPH ON THE PLA SO AS TO MAKE THE POINT CLEARLY BUT WITHOUT
INVITING A PUBLIC REBUFF FROM THE CHINESE.
WILSON
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