UNCLASSIFIED
006237
MDLIAN 667
SAFEGUARDING HONG KONG PEOPLE'S HUMAN RIGHTS, THE MEDIA (3.6) REPORTED. IT PROPOSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT SET UP A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO HELP THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILL. THE BODY SHOULD BE ENTRUSTED WITH THE TASK OF REVIEWING EXISTING LAWS, PROVIDING LEGAL OPINION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND PROMOTING THE BILL. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD AMEND THE LETTERS PATENT AND OTHER RELEVANT LAWS TO GIVE A HIGHER STATUS TO THE BILL.
5. MEETING POINT PROPOSED THAT THE TWO-YEAR FREEZE PERIOD BE REDUCED, THE MEDIA (3.6) REPORTED. IT SAID THAT A HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION COMMITTEE AND A HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORING COMMITTEE BE SET UP TO HELP PROMOTE THE BILL AND IMPLEMENT PROVISIONS. IT WAS OF THE VIEW THAT THE BILL WOULD NOT GO BEYOND THE SCOPE OF THE BASIC LAW AND WOULD NOT CREATE ANY PROBLEM OF CONVERGENCE. THE HONG KONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXPRESSED FEAR THAT THE BUSINESS SECTOR COULD BE CRIPPLED BY LITIGATION FROM DEBTORS AND STAFF IF IT WAS BROUGHT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE BILL, THE SCM POST (4.6) REPORTED. IN A SUBMISSION TO THE GOVERNMENT, IT BELIEVED THAT ONLY THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS FUNCTIONARIES SHOULD BE BOUND BY THE BILL.
PRIME MINISTER
O
6. THE PRIME MINISTER SAID THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SITUATION IN HONG KONG BEFORE 1997 AND WAS CONFIDENT OF A SMOOTH HANDOVER IN 1997, THE PAPERS AND RADIO-3 REPORTED IN GOOD COVERAGE TODAY (4.6) SPEAKING IN A BBC WORLD SERVICE PHONE-IN PROGRAMME, MRS THATCHER SAID THAT BRITAIN HAD OBTAINED THE BEST AGREEMENT POSSIBLE FOR THE TERRITORY. CHINA WOULD HONOUR COMMITMENTS MADE WITH BRITAIN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG BECAUSE CHINA WOULD WISH TO BE SEEN TO HONOUR THEM IN THE FORUM OF THE WORLD. BRITAIN COULD NOT HAVE DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINA ON THE MATTER OF STATIONING TROOPS IN HONG KONG BECAUSE THIS WAS CHINESE POLICY. SHE THOUGHT THAT THE CONTROVERSIAL BRITISH NATIONALITY PACKAGE WOULD EVENTUALLY BE ACCEPTED BY CHINA.
FUTURE POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
7. SENIOR LEGCO MEMBER ALLEN LEE SAID THAT THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY MUST DO EVERYTHING TO SECURE A MAJORITY OF SEATS IN LEGCO IN 1991 IF THE TERRITORY WAS TO SURVIVE BEYOND 1997, THE SUNDAY MORNING POST (3.6) REPORTED. HE SAID THAT THIS COULD BE DONE THROUGH SUPPORTING CANDIDATES IDENTIFIED WITH THE BUSINESS SECTOR RATHER THAN BUSINESSMEN RUNNING IN THE ELECTIONS THEMSELVES. HE STRESSED THAT HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH WAS IT BARGAINING CHIP WITH CHINA. IN ORDER TO IMPROVE RELATIONS BETWEEN EXCO AND LEGCO, MR LEE SUGGESTED THAT MOST EXCO MEMBERS BE SELECTED FROM LEGCO. HE ALSO
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