CONFIDENTIAL
115676 MDHOAN 8766
MAKING THE BILL QUOTE SUBJECT TO THE BASIC LAW UNQUOTE.
4.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHETHER YOU HAVE BEEN RECEIVING SUCH BLEAK VIEWS AND DIRE WARNINGS FROM YOUR OWN LAWYERS, AND WHETHER THERE ARE ANY SECOND THOUGHTS IN HONG KONG ABOUT HOW THE BILL SHOULD BE APPROACHED. I SHOULD STRESS THAT WE ARE NOT (NOT) SEEKING TO REOPEN ISSUES WHICH HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY AIRED OVER THE SUMMER. BUT I SHALL NEED TO GIVE MINISTERS A CAREFUL ACCOUNT OF WHERE THINGS NOW STAND AND TO SATISFY THEM THAT ALL POSSIBLE ANGLES HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED. IN EXPLAINING THE POSITION, I WOULD OF COURSE MAKE CLEAR THAT COMPROMISES HAVE BEEN NECESSARY, GIVEN THE DIFFICULTIES AND CONFLICTING REQUIREMENTS OF THIS EXERCISE.
5.
IN THIS CONTEXT, MINISTERS WOULD I THINK FIND IT HELPFUL TO HAVE A TELEGRAM FROM YOU TAKING STOCK OF WHERE THINGS STAND OVER THE BILL AND AN ACCOUNT OF HOW YOU PROPOSE TO TAKE THINGS THROUGH LEGCO IN THE COMING MONTHS. THE TELEGRAM MIGHT INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ISSUES LIKELY TO BE RAISED BY LEGCO (INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LESTER OPINION) AND HOW YOU PROPOSE TO DEAL WITH THESE POINTS. THE OTHER ANGLE TO WHICH WE OF COURSE ATTACH IMPORTANCE IS THE REACTION OF THE CHINESE AND, EQUALLY IMPORTANTLY, THE LIKELY REACTION IN HONG KONG TO A PUBLIC DENOUNCIATION OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND A COMMITMENT TO REPEAL IT IN 1997. (YOUR TELNOS 2136 AND 2249 REFER).
6. FOR ALL THESE REASONS, JILL BARRETT'S VISIT TO HONG KONG THIS WEEK IS A TIMELY ONE. WE ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE HELP AND SUPPORT WHICH HKG HAVE GIVEN IN PREPARING FOR MS BARRETT'S PROGRAMME. MS BARRETT WILL NOT, OF COURSE, BE SEEKING TO GO OVER OLD GROUND AGAIN OR COVER THE WIDER ISSUES RAISED ABOVE. WILL WISH TO DISCUSS MORE DETAILED POINTS, IN PARTICULAR RELATING TO REMEDIES.
HURD
SHE
YYYY
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