TNAG-2173-FCO40-3110-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 222

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG TELNO 465

OF 28173OZ FEBRUARY 90

HKD24L

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 9 MAR 1990

ECK OFFICER

REGISTRY

Action Taken

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KON

4

013215

MDHOAN 4141

1.

AS YOU MAY HAVE SEEN FROM A GUARDIAN ARTICLE OF 27 FEBRUARY (A COPY OF WHICH IS BEING FAXED TO THE DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER), UK JOURNALISTS ARE PERSISTING WITH THE NOTION THAT EXCO'S REASON FOR REJECTING THE DRAFT BILL WAS THAT IT HAD BEEN (QUOTE WATERED DOWN IN DEFERENCE TO BEIJING'S SENSITIVITIES UNQUOTE) 2. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF YOU COULD BRIEF UK CORRESPONDENTS ON THE BILL OF RIGHT, SO THAT WE CAN KNOCK THIS ON THE HEAD, PARTICULARLY, GIVEN THE LIKELIHOOD OF FURTHER PRESS ATTENTION WHEN THE BILL IS RESUBMITTED ON 6 MARCH

3. GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS.

HURD

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

60

ΜΑΙΝ

57

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH (FE)

PUSD

NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR GILLMORE

MR MCLAREN

ADDITIONAL

3

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADVISERS

MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

PAGE

1

CONFIDENTIAL