TNAG-2174-FCO40-3111-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 111

"

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY HONG KONG

TELNO 1031

OF 24144OZ MAY 90

CONFIDENTIAL

[HKD241

3. 1990

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JEG HONG KONG,

J&G

X117

PEKING

MY TELNO 1007: HONG KONG BILL OF RIGHTS

127

152625

MDLOAN 6030

да вилов

TOP COPY

Q DIST?

1. WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO MINISTERS OUR COMMENTS ON YOUR TELNO 1583. (CONTRARY TO PARAGRAPH 3 OF TUR), WE DO NOT

EXPECT THE TELEGRAMS TO ISSUE UNTIL NEXT WEEK. WE TRUST THIS

WILL NOT CAUSE YOU DIFFICULTY.

2. IN THE MEANTIME, IN ADDITION TO THE MORE TECHNICAL POINTS IN MY TELNOS 1007 TO 1010, WE HAVE A LINGUISTIC (BUT PRESENTATIONALLY IMPORTANT) POINT. WE WONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE WORTH CONSIDERING AMENDING THE TITLE IN CHINESE OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS. THE WORDS QUOTE XUAN YAN UNQUOTE EQUATE MORE TO A DECLARATION OR MANIFESTO, WHICH CONVEYS ENTIRELY THE WRONG IMPRESSION TO THE CHINESE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THE CHINESE HAVE HAD MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT A NUMBER OF ASPECTS OF THE BILL: THE TITLE MAY WELL HAVE MISLED THEM.

3.

THE BILL OF RIGHTS IS ESSENTIALLY A LAW. WE WONDER WHETHER THE TITLE MIGHT BE AMENDED TO EQUATE TO QUOTE HUMAN RIGHTS LAW UNQUOTE. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEWS AND THOSE OF COPY

ADDRESSEES.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

53

LIMITED

HKD

RAD

PUSD

DISTRIBUTION

55

NEWS D HD/FED

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL