TNAG-2176-FCO40-3113-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 167

CONFIDENTIAL

(64)

HKD241

(244)

154412

MDHIAN 9138

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 2249

OF 171211Z JULY 90

RECLY

2 3 JUL 1990

DY

uxan

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, UKREPONG KÔNG

TOP COPY Q DIST?

MIPT AND YOUR TELNO 1203 : BILL OF RIGHTS : LIKELY CHINESE RESPONSE AND PUBLIC REACTION

1. TUR ASKED FOR AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT ON HONG KONG PUBLIC OPINION OF THE CHINESE DENOUNCING THE BOR PUBLICLY, IF WE CONTINUED WITH OUR CURRENT TIMETABLE FOR THE TABLING OF THE BILL. OUR TELNO

2084 EXPLAINED OUR REASONS FOR NOT DEFERRING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE BOR. EXCO ENDORSED THIS RECOMMENDATION ON 10 JULY (SEE OUR TELNO 2136).

2. VIEWS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BOR ARE PROBABLY DIVIDED WITHIN THE CHINESE SIDE. AFTER EARLIER INDICATIONS THE OTHER WAY, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECENT SIGNS THAT THE HARDLINERS ARE GAINING SOME

GROUND :

WE ARE, HOWEVER, STILL REASONABLY HOPEFUL THAT THE CHINESE WILL NOT GO TO THE EXTENT OF DENOUNCING THE ENTIRE BOR PUBLICLY AT THIS STAGE. IF THEY DECIDE ON THIS COURSE EVENTUALLY, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO AWAIT THE FORMAL PASSING OF THE BILL, AND TO ADDUCE THEN OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO CONSULT THEM PROPERLY AS THE MAIN REASON FOR THEIR ATTITUDE. IF THEY CHOOSE INSTEAD AT THIS STAGE TO CRITICISE SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE BILL, THIS WILL OF COURSE RAISE CONCERN IN THE PUBLIC MIND, BUT WE WOULD AGAIN REPEAT OUR WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS THESE POINTS WITH THEM.

3. WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL IN ANY CASE NEED TO EXPLAIN CAREFULLY BOTH TO THE PUBLIC AND TO THE CHINESE WHY WE CONSIDER THE BOR TO BE FULLY CONSISTENT WITH THE ICCPR, AS APPLIED TO HONG KONG, AND WITH THE BL. WE SHALL MAKE THIS POINT STRONGLY WHEN INTRODUCING THE BILL INTO LEGCO. A COPY OF THE SPEECH TO BE MADE BY THE CS INTRODUCING THE BOR INTO LEGCO NEXT WEEK WILL BE FAXED TO YOU WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

4. CRITICISM BY THE CHINESE OF THE BILL, OR SUGGESTIONS THAT IT MIGHT NOT SURVIVE 1997, WOULD BE DAMAGING, BOTH ON THE CONFIDENCE THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO INSTIL AND ON PEOPLE'S ATTITUDES TO THE

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CONFIDENTIAL

Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)