TNAG-2174-FCO40-3111-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 7

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MDHIAN 6837

INCONSISTENCIES BETWEEN THE BL AND THE BOR AND EXPECTED THE LATTER TO CONTINUE IN FORCE BEYOND 1997. HE SAID CONSIDERATION WOULD BE GIVEN TO THE NEED OF A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE UNDER THE EXISTING LEGAL AND JUDICIAL SYSTEMS. HE ALSO GAVE ASSURANCES THAT AMENDMENTS TO EXISTING LAWS IN LINE WITH THE BOR WOULD NOT BE MADE AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR ABILITY TO MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER.

MEDIA AND PUBLIC REACTION

12. THE PRESS GAVE PROMINENT AND EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE DEBATE. SCM POST, IN ITS EDITORIAL TODAY, STRESSED THE NEED TO CONVINCE THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE USEFULNESS OF THE BOR IN PRESERVING CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE PUBLIC REACTION TO THE DEBATE SO FAR.

COMMENT

13. VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THE DEBATE WERE BROADLY ALONG THE LINES OF THE REPORT OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP. THE SPEECHES REVEALED THE PRAGMATIC ATTITUDE OF MEMBERS IN DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT. OPPOSITION FROM THE PRO-CHINA MEMBERS, TAM AND HO, WAS NOT UNEXPECTED. CAPPARENTLY TO COINCIDE WITH THE DEBATE, WEN WEI PO PUBLISHED ON 27 AND 28 JUNE A TWO-PART ARTICLE IN TAM'S NAME, REHEARSING MANY OF HIS POINTS MADE IN THE DEBATE). WHAT THEY SAID, HOWEVER, DID NOT IN ANY WAY CLOUD THE SUPPORT FROM LEGCO AS A WHOLE FOR THE BOR.

FORD

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ΜΑΙΝ

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DISTRIBUTION

60

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RESEARCH D (FE)

PUSD

NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

ADDITIONAL

3

MR WHOMERSLEY LEGAL ADVISERS

MS BARRET

LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

MR FI FOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

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