TNAG-2221-FCO40-3189-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-role-of-the-Legislat-1991 — Page 24

1) KS

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UNCLASSIFIED

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p.a. Roug Legler

$4

060270 MDLIAN 9676

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UNCLASSIFIED

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 3781

OF 05041OZ DECEMBER 91

INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON, HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA

HONG KONG FUTURE: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP (27.11 2.12)

SUMMARY

REPORTS FOCUSED ON THE CFA, LEGCO STANDING COMMITTEE SYSTEM AND LORD CAITHNESS PEKING VISIT.

CFA

2.

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NINE PROFESSIONAL BODIES, INCLUDING TWO LEGAL ONES, ISSUED A JOINT STATEMENT (27.11) CALLING FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY IN THE APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES TO THE CFA AND THAT IT SHOULD BE SET UP AT AN EARLY DATE, BY 1993 IF POSSIBLE. THE CHIEF SECRETARY IN AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SCMP (27.11) REJECTED THE POSSIBILITY OF RE- NEGOTIATION WITH CHINA. HE SAID CHINA HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS NOT NEGOTIABLE. HE SAID THE QUESTION OF CONFIDENCE WAS ONE WHICH WAS BEST SERVED BY HAVING A COURT ESTABLISHED AHEAD OF TIME ON A PRACTICAL BASIS WHICH COULD BE SEEN TO WORK RATHER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE OF UNCERTAINTY OF NO COURT AT ALL BEFORE 1997 AND WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE AFTER 1997. THE SAME POINT WAS MADE BY THE SECRETARY FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS MICHAEL SZE WHO NOTED LEGCO MEMBER SIMON IP WOULD PROPOSE A MOTION DEBATE ON CFA AT THE LEGCO MEETING ON 4.12. MR SZE SAID HE WOULD SPEAK IMMEDIATELY AFTER MR IP TO EXPLAIN THE REASONS FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION.

BAUHINIA

3.

A BY-LINE ARTICLE IN THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE BAUHINIA MONTHLY (27.11) SAID THE CFA ISSUE HAD BEEN USED TO RAISE THE STATUS OF LEGCO WITH A VIEW TO ''RETURNING ADMINISTRATION TO THE PEOPLE''. THIS WAS NOT IN LINE WITH HK'S POLITICAL REALITY AND THE SPIRIT OF THE JD. THE RECENT ATTEMPTS TO INTRODUCE A STANDING COMMITTEE SYSTEM WERE INTENDED TO INCREASE LEGCO POWERS AND WOULD

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