TNAG-2177-FCO40-3114-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-1990 — Page 23

CONFIDENTIAL

HKO241/1

RECEN

15 NOV 1990

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 3360

OF 15100OZ NOVEMBER-90-

INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

370

074300

MDHIAN 9504

TOP COPY Q. DIST?

RoR

RM 15/11

368

BILL OF RIGHTS : AMENDMENT TO THE LETTERS PATENT

1. AS YOU ARE AWARE, THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP ARE KEEN TO BE KEPT INFORMED OF PROGRESS ON THE AMENDMENT TO THE LETTERS PATENT (LP) ENTRENCHING THE ICCPR. THEY HAVE NOW REVIVED THEIR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON THE TEXT OF THE AMENDMENT. WE DO NOT SEE ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS REQUEST, WHICH WOULD ALSO PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BRIEF THE GROUP ON OUR INTENTION TO INCLUDE A COMMENCEMENT PROVISION IN THE BILL AND OUR PLAN TO SYNCHRONISE THE COMMENCEMENTS OF THE LP AMENDMENT AND THE BOR. ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR CONTINUED RESISTANCE MAY BE SEEN AS DELIBERATELY UNCOOPERATIVE, WHICH MAY JEOPARDISE OUR RELATIONS WITH THE GROUP.

2. BEFORE WE WOULD AGREE TO THE REQUEST, WE WOULD WISH TO KNOW FROM YOU WHETHER, AND IF SO, HOW, WE SHOULD PROCEED. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, OUR PLAN IS TO PROVIDE THE AD HOC GROUP WITH A SHORT NOTE BASED ON OUR TELNO 3066. A DRAFT FOR THIS PURPOSE IS BEING FAXED TO YOU FOR COMMENTS.

WILSON

YYYY

3442

MAIN

58

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

LIMITED

HKD

HD/FED

NEWS D

DISTRIBUTION

61

view from Mr Filoot

Tel out

PUSD

RAD

for

PS/LORD CAITHNESS

PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

MR MCLAREN

MR BURNS

FM 14/11

fee (372,

PAGE 1 CONFIDENTIAL