DUNTIDENTIAL
3
PERSUNAL
it not be best if things were done in accordance with the Basic Law? Chen agreed that matters should be handled in accordance with the Basic Law. But China could
certainly also give its view on Martin Lee.
4.
Yang Youyong followed on from this, saying that it was unprecedented for NCNA to have telephoned me 3 times during a demonstration outside their headquarters, as they did on 1 October. Things said during the demonstration were insulting. Insulting statements were contrary to the Public Order Ordinance (an old NCNA argument). From this it was clear that what had upset NCNA was not the noise of the demonstration, which is what they complained about at the time, but the presence in it of leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance, and in particular Martin Lee, and what they said.
૨
ན་པ
༈་
watch
7
5.
Yang asked if this included
I could not work out the
At one point in the conversation, Yang Youyoung asked whether Legco had in the past had the right to debate anything. He wondered whether changes were being made in the new Legco in this regard. I said that there were no changes. Members were able to debate anything that accorded with Standing Orders. all laws. I said that it did. full import of this question. I suppose the Chinese might like to see now something on the lines of Article 74 of the Basic Law, unrealistic as this is. As you know, that Article requires the written consent of the Chief Executive before private bills on Government policies are introduced. Yang probably realises that this would be a non-starter in that he referred at another point in the conversation to the Governor's power not to assent to
CONFIDENTIAL
Page 135Page 136
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.