TNAG-2174-FCO40-3111-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 89

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Mr Payal, HK1)

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any views form Mr Burns ( and

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The questore a possibl postponement in the preumlakoni a Bill Leger is

CONFIDENTIAL

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FROM:

A R Paul

Hong Kong Department

DATE:

31 May 1990

CC:

Mr Burns

the Governor, seeking' on the light ox. mentioning you (and

us Sir D

RECL

HKD24

- 4 JUN 1956

Subject to your views (and those of Mr Burns o/r) Ij propose to send the attached telegram to Hong Kong about the question of discussing the Bill of Rights with the Chinese,-

2.

The telegram has been prompted by:

public allegations by the Chinese that we are refusing to discuss the Bill with them; and

my conversation with Madama Zhang Youyun, in which she suggested that Sir A Donald might help matters if he made a "good presentation" in Peking.

3. There is a separate matter, which might be covered in the same telegram. This concerns the issue of whether, given all the difficulties Hong Kong are facing over the drafting of the Bill, the deadline for submitting the draft to LegCo should be extended. Sir David Ford mentioned to me this morning that Michael Suen had himself floated the idea with the Governor and others in the Hong Kong Government. The Governor had concluded that postponement would not be right.

4. I wonder, however, whether the case for postponement is now an overwhelming one. It is clear from my discussions with our Legal Advisers that there is still some way to go Xbefore the wrinkles in the draft can be ironed out.

Moreover, our lawyers are still finding snags which have hitherto remained unnoticed in the draft. There may be more.

5.

A further point in favour of postponement is that this would give us time to square the Chinese (if, of course, they are willing to be convinced).

6.

I should be grateful for your views.

SB1AAH

ARPanc

A R Paul

CONFIDENTIAL