TNAG-1863-FCO40-2643-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Basic-Law-1989 — Page 13

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An additional point, if time allows, would be the of the "directives" in Article 48(8) as they are not mentioned elsewhere.

nature

Authentic English Text

AS you will know, two other matters which continue

to give concern in Hong Kong are the question of an

authentic English translation and the issue of the relationship of the

Constitution of the

Basic Law to Article 31 of the

PRC.

What is important about the

former is that there should be some demonstrable authority

for the English text and I can only repeat what I wrote in the Memorandum accompanying my letter of 1 August 1988:

"If

the

the present system of law is to continue and

English language is to be used in the courts and elsewhere for official purposes in addition to Chinese, it is important that there should be an

authentic and authoritative English text of the

Basic Law available. It is not necessary that

such а text be enacted by the National People's

Congress for it to be authoritative. A possible

way of providing such a text would be for the National People's Congress or the Central People's Government to cause an English Language text to be

prepared, and for the Standing Committee or the

Central People's Government to promulgate it as the authoritative and authentic English text. A

possible draft would be: 'The State Council shall

cause to be prepared, and shall publish, a text in

the English language of this Law (and of any

amendment or interpretation thereof by the

National People's Congress or the Standing

Committee of the National People's Congress).

Copies of such a text shall be accepted as

authoritative versions of this Law for all

purposes in the Hong Kong Special Administrative

Region',"