TNAG-2175-FCO40-3112-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 308

CONFIDENTIAL

HKD 241

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO DESKBY 03010OZ HONG KONG

TELNO 1238

OF 021515Z JULY 90

'STRY

BU JUL 1990

TRY

TOP COPY DIST?

193

118334

MDHOAN 1767

hu

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

178

YOUR TELNO 2024: BILL OF RIGHTS: SUBMISSION TO EXCO

1.

WE CANNOT CONSULT OUR LEGAL ADVISERS UNTIL 3 JULY. WE ARE THEREFORE UNABLE TO MEET YOUR DEADLINE BUT SHALL ENDEAVOUR TO SEND COMMENTS DESKBY 04010OZ. IT IS DIFFICULT TO COMMENT ON SOME ASPECTS OF THE EXCO PAPER WITHOUT SEEING THE CHANGES MADE IN THE REVISED BILL OF RIGHTS. GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD FAX TO US ANNEX A TO THE EXCO PAPER DESKBY 03090OZ.

2. WE NOTE FROM PARAGRAPH 68 OF THE EXCO PAPER THAT YOU ARE UNLIKELY TO ANNOUNCE THE TEXT OF THE AMENDMENT TO THE LETTERS PATENT WHEN THE BILL IS PUBLISHED. WE SEE NO DIFFICULTY WITH THIS IN ITSELF, BUT WOULD REMIND YOU OF THE TIME CONSTRAINTS AT OUR END: WE ARE AIMING TO SUBMIT AMENDMENTS CONCERNING BOTH CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL ON 24 JULY (MY TELNO 1150). THIS MEANS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO HAVE AN AGREED TEXT FOR THE AMENDMENT BY 9 JULY. WE ALSO ASSUME YOU REALISE THAT ONCE PUT TO THE PRIVY COUNCIL, THE TEXT OF THE AMENDMENT WILL VERY SOON THEREAFTER BECOME PUBLIC. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS, GRATEFUL FOR YOUR VIEW ON WHETHER IT IS STILL FEASIBLE TO SUBMIT THE AMENDMENTS TOGETHER.

HURD

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

56

DISTRIBUTION

59

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

PUSD NEWS D

PS/MR MAUDE

PS/LORD BRABAZON

MR MCLAREN

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CONFIDENTIAL