TNAG-2118-FCO40-3024-Future-of-Hong-Kong-general-1990 — Page 44

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HUD

Ms Major

Trany Thanks. Copy of final version

attached

fe furze15

FROM: PA Major (Ms)

30

18 MAY 1990

Hong Kong Department

DATE: 17 May 1990

cc: Private Secretary

Mr McLaren

Mr Burns

Special Advisers (2)

Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers

Mr Whitehead, News Department

Mr Seaton, FED

Mr Walker, RAD

PS/Mx Maude

2415

SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATIVE LAWYERS: SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT ON 21 MAY

1. I submit a draft speech and press release, based on the outlines discussed at Mr Maude's meeting on 30 April. News Department and Legal Advisers agree.

2. The press release reproduces the central section of the speech. Its main thrust is that the Joint Declaration is a good agreement; the Chinese have a good record on international agreements; the

Basic Law reflects the Joint Declaration on the whole; the Basic Law

is a Chinese law; it represents an interplay of the common law and

Chinese law systems; but we are working together with China for Hong Kong to ma ke that interplay work. News Department intend to give it an embargo of 2000 on Monday 21 May.

3.

Mr Whitehead has proposed an alternative title: "Hong Kong: is it getting a law deal?".

RIDAEJ

Arya

P A Major