UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 3362
OF 110553Z OCTOBER 89
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
UNCLASSIFIED
itk B
011 15
70
042723
MDHIAN 9271
TOP COPY QVIST ?
MY LEGCO ADDRESS: MY THIRD IPT: BASIC LAW
TEXT OF THE EXTRACT ON (QUOTE) THE BASIC LAW (UNQUOTE) IS AS FOLLOWS:-
BEGINS
(B) THE BASIC LAW
43. THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WAS "PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY. IT WAS GENERALLY SEEN AS A CONSIDERABLE IMPROVEMENT ON ITS PREDECESSOR. CAREFUL NOTE HAD CLEARLY BEEN TAKEN OF POINTS MADE IN HONG KONG DURING THE CONSULTATION PERIOD LAST YEAR. RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA HAVE REFOCUSSED PUBLIC ATTENTION ON SOME PARTS OF THE BASIC LAW. I HAVE ALREADY REFERRED TO THE VARIOUS MODELS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD WITH REGARD TO THE COMPOSITION OF THE LEGISLATURE. ANOTHER AREA WHICH HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MUCH DEBATE IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CENTRAL AUTHORITIES AND THE SAR GOVERNMENT. I HOPE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL USE THIS FINAL PERIOD OF CONSULTATION TO PUT FORWARD THEIR VIEWS ON THE DRAFT OF A DOCUMENT WHICH WILL BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THEIR FUTURE.
44 THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY INTEND TO PUBLISH THE BASIC LAW NEXT SPRING. ITS CONTENTS WILL HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOW PEOPLE, BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS, VIEW THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. A BASIC LAW THAT MEETS THE MAIN POINTS OF CONCERN IN HONG KONG CAN GO A LONG WAY TO RESTORING CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY. I THEREFORE URGE THE BASIC LAW DRAFTERS TO BE RECEPTIVE TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THE DRAFT IN HONG KONG DURING THE CURRENT CONSULTATION PERIOD AND TO TAKE THEM CAREFULLY INTO ACCOUNT. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL AT STAKE.
WILSON
PAGE 1 UNCLASSIFIED
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