TNAG-2177-FCO40-3114-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 157

CONFIDENTIAL

1371

MOLIAN 8453

POLITICAL EFFECTS OF STATING IN THE BOR THAT IT IS SUBJECT TO THE

LETTERS PATENT/BASIC LAW. YOU WILL FIND THIS IN PARAS 4 9 OF OUR TELNO 2603 AND IN PARA 14 OF EXCO MEMORANDUM XCS(90)56 (WHICH WAS FAXED TO YOU ON 12 SEPTEMBER). IN BRIEF, OUR VIEW WAS THAT WE SHOULD BE NO WORSE OFF IN STRICTLY DOMESTIC LEGAL TERMS THAN AT PRESENT, BUT WOULD NEED TO EXPLAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE REFERENCE CAREFULLY TO LEGCO AND THE PUBLIC. WE HAVE REVIEWED THE ARGUMENTS AND CONSIDER THAT THE ASSESSMENT MADE THEN REMAINS VALID.

5. NEXT WEEK, WE WILL SEND A SEPARATE TELEGRAM COVERING THE AREAS IN PARA 5 OF YOUR FIRST TUR (I.E. LEGCO TIMETABLE, ISSUES RAISED BY LEGCO MEMBERS, THE LESTER REPORT, ETC).

WILSON

YYYY

DISTRIBUTION

79

ΜΑΙΝ

76

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

. (RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

RAD

PUSD

NEWS D

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

ADDITIONAL

3

MS FOAKES LEGAL ADVISERS

MS BARRETT LEGAL ADVISERS

MR FIFOOT LEGAL ADVISERS

NNNN

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CONFIDENTIAL