CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1063
OF 01163OZ JUNE 90
CONFIDENTIAL
1 HKD 241/1 нког
* 4 JUN 1990
¿Y
EGIST:
The 4/6
13793167
175767
MD HOA 9905
See(144
L
PERSONAL FOR GOVERNOR FROM PAUL, HKD
BILL OF RIGHTS
1.
WE HAVE SEEN COPIES OF WHAT MUST BE THE TIP OF A VERY LARGE ICEBERG OF REPRESENTATIONS FROM VARIOUS HONG KONG ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE BILL OF RIGHTS. THE TASK OF TAKING ACCOUNT OF ALL THIS MATERIAL MUST BE A FORMIDABLE ONE. IN ADDITION, OUR LEGAL ADVISERS HAVE RECENTLY SENT ON THE LEGAL NET A NUMBER OF COMMENTS ABOUT NEW POINTS OF SUBSTANCE IN THE DRAFT. MORE MAY FOLLOW EXCLAM.
2.
ALL THIS LEADS US TO WONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO EXTEND THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING THE DRAFT BILL TO LEGCO. SIR DAVID FORD MENTIONED TO ROBIN MCLAREN AND ME ON 31 MAY THAT YOU HAD ALSO BEEN REFLECTING ON THIS, BUT HAD CONCLUDED THAT THE BALANCE OF ARGUMENTS WAS AGAINST POSTPONEMENT.
3.
WE CAN WELL SEE THAT THERE ARE ARGUMENTS BOTH WAYS. BUT THE VERY RECENT EVIDENCE OF THE EXTENT OF THE LEGAL WRINKLES WHICH STILL NEED TO BE IRONED OUT IS WORRYING. IT WOULD BE IN NOBODY'S INTERESTS IF, THROUGH LACK OF TIME, THESE DIFFICULTIES WERE TO REMAIN UNRESOLVED, ONLY TO EMERGE AND CAUSE EMBARRASSMENT AT A LATER STAGE, AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE BILL. ON THESE GROUNDS ALONE, WOULD IT NOT BE WISE TO RECONSIDER POSTPONEMENT QUERY WE IMAGINE THAT SOME SECTORS OF HONG KONG OPINION WOULD FAVOUR THIS.
4.
A FURTHER CONSIDERATION IS THAT POSTPONEMENT WOULD GIVE US MORE TIME TO SQUARE THE CHINESE. THIS SHOULD NOT IN OUR VIEW BE A DETERMINING FACTOR, SINCE IT IS FAR FROM CLEAR THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO BE CONVINCED. BUT THE TIGHT EXISTING TIMETABLE WOULD ALLOW VERY LITTLE TIME INDEED TO DISCUSS THE CHANGES WE MAY HAVE MADE TO THE DRAFT BILL (FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PERIOD) BEFORE IT IS SUBMITTED TO LEGCO. (UKREP JLG TELNO 119 IS RELEVANT.) DO WE REALLY WANT TO HAND THEM ANOTHER JUSTIFIABLE GRIEVANCE QUERY
PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.