TNAG-2079-FCO40-2959-Hong-Kong-press-coverage-and-reports-1990 — Page 286

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HKB3011

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Bu & Rights

006237 MDLIAN 6674

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FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 1772

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OF 060445Z JUNE 90

- 6 J 1990

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INFO ROUTINE PEKING UKREP JLG HONG KONG, GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE : WEEKLY ROUNDUP

SUMMARY

1. NEWS RELATING TO THE DRAFT BILL OF RIGHTS AND REMARKS BY THE PRIME MINISTER ON HK IN A BBC PHONE-IN PROGRAMME RECEIVED GOOD MEDIA COVERAGE.

BILL OF RIGHTS

2. THE HK HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HAD SUGGESTED AT A MEETING WITH THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS BE INCLUDED IN THE BILL OR RIGHTS, THE MEDIA (1.6) REPORTED. THE COMMISSION ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE CROWN PROCEEDINGS ORDINANCE BE AMENDED SO THAT THE COURTS WOULD BE EMPOWERED TO ISSUE INJUNCTIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT. THE LAW SOCIETY HAD COME OUT AGAINST A TWO-YEAR FREEZE PERIOD FOR THE BILL. SUGGESTING THAT THE FREEZE PERIOD BE REDUCE BY HALF.

3. IN A SUBMISSION TO THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP, THE SOCIETY SAID THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE LETTERS PATENT BE AMENDED TO GIVE THE BILL A SUPERIOR STATUS AND TO ENTRENCH IT. THE SOCIETY BELIEVED THAT THE BILL BREACHED NEITHER THE BASIC LAW NOR THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE BAR ASSOCIATION ALSO OPPOSED THE TWO-YEAR FREEZE PERIOD, THE MEDIA (5.6) REPORTED. IT BELIEVED THAT ARTICLE 39 OF THE BASIC LAW AND SOME OF THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS SPELT OUT IN THE BASIC LAW BUT NOT INCLUDED IN THE BILL SHOULD BE MIRRORED IN THE LETTERS PATENT. IN A SUBMISSION TO THE AD HOC GROUP, THE ICAC SAID THAT ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE WERE AGAINST THE IDEA OF EXEMPTING THE COMMISSION FROM THE DRAFT BILL, PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVEL BELIEVED THAT IT WAS NECESSARY FOR THE COMMISSION TO RETAIN ITS PRESENT POWERS TO EFFECTIVELY COMBAT CORRUPTION, THE MEDIA (2.6.) REPORTED.

4. THE FEDERATION OF STUDENTS SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD INTRODUCE SEVERAL CHANGES TO MAKE THE BILL MORE EFFECTIVE IN

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