M120
[HKD241
20 Major
W22/5
20 1990
mheden
PS/Mr Maud
Mr Paul Has
Thank you. Tels
have issued
Mr.
FROM:
DATE:
Cc:
Brewer
121 MAY 1990
pa fu2215.
A R Paul
Hong Kong Department
21 May 1990
Mr McLaren
Mr Burns
Mr Fifoot, Legal Advisers
Mr Walker, RAD
Flo Temos 1007 1010.
--
HONG KONG: BILL OF RIGHTS
2215
116
1. As Mr Maude is aware, the Hong Kong Government published a draft
Bill of Rights on 16 March for a two month consultation period,
which has now been extended to 6 June. Although we have regarded
the work of drafting the Bill of Rights as primarily a matter for
the Hong Kong Government, it is clearly right that we should satisfy
ourselves that the draft is acceptable to us, both from a technical
legal point of view, and from a political perspective. We and our
Legal Advisers have therefore been studying the draft Bill with
these considerations in mind.
2. The attached telegrams, which have been drafted in close
consultation with Mr Fifoot and Miss Barret, represent our Legal
Advisers' detailed comments on the technical legal aspects of the
Bill. They are in my view not matters on which Mr Maude needs to
focus, although he may wish to glance at the telegrams. Our Legal
Advisers will be happy to elucidate any points of detail which are
not clear No new points of principle are raised; nor in my view
are there any political implications in the various drafting and other suggestions
ALAAEA
CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.