TNAG-2325-FCO40-3369-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-policy-1991 — Page 183

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

TELNO 557

OF 22160OZ MARCH 91

INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING

10

for

015071

MDHOAN 0392

25/3.

x7/3

FROM PAUL, HKD

BILL OF RIGHTS

Redacted Under FOI Exemption Sec 27(1)

I SHALL NEED TO CONSULT MINISTERS, BEFORE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG AND CHINA, ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS,

1.

2.

THE CRUCIAL QUESTION, ON WHICH MINISTERS WILL WANT TO TAKE A VIEW, IS WHETHER THE AMENDMENTS

SHOULD BE MADE, DESPITE THE CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE CHINESE THAT THESE DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH TO MEET THEIR REQUIREMENTS. AT OFFICIAL LEVEL HERE, OUR VIEW IS THAT IT PROBABLY WOULD BE WORTH MAKING THE AMENDMENTS, BUT BEFORE MAKING A FIRM RECOMMENDATION I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE POLITICAL IMPACT IN HONG KONG IF THE AMENDMENTS WERE MADE WITHOUT ANY ASSURANCE THAT THIS WOULD PREVENT THE CHINESE FROM DENOUNCING THE BILL.

3. IT WOULD ALSO BE HELPFUL TO HAVE YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHETHER THE CHINESE REACTION WOULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY STRONGER IF WE DID NOT AFTER ALL MAKE THE AMENDMENTS WHICH WE HAVE DISCUSSED WITH THEM.

4 FINALLY,

I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL TO KNOW WHAT TIMING YOU HAVE IN MIND FOR MAKING THESE AMENDMENTS. I ASSUME THAT THIS WOULD NOT HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S VISIT TO HONG KONG AND CHINA.

5. IN VIEW OF TIME CONSTRAINT AT THIS END, A REPLY DESKBY 25093OZ WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

HURD

YYYY