UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1492
OF 021035Z JUNE 92
36
UNCLASSIFIED
HKC
14 انيه
39
057702
MDLIAN 9714
TOP COPY
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YOUR TELNO 881: LETTER TO MR. PATTEN: HUMAN RIGHTS.
SINCE MR. PATTEN HAS NOT YET TAKEN UP THE GOVERNORSHIP OF HONG KONG, HE SHOULD AVOID BEING DRAWN INTO DISCUSSION OF THOSE POLICY ISSUES RAISED IN DR. LEICESTER'S LETTER. WE SUGGEST THEREFORE A SIMPLE LETTER BY MR. PATTEN ACKNOWLEDGING RECEIPT OF DR. LEICESTER'S LETTER AND THANKING HER FOR HER VIEWS AND INTEREST IN HONG KONG WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.
2. BUT IN CASE YOU NEED THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL, THIS IS PROVIDED BELOW:
(A) FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS CAREFULLY CONSIDERED THE QUESTION OF ENACTING A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ORDINANCE IN HONG KONG, BUT IS NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS IS THE BEST WAY FOR HONG KONG TO PROCEED. THE BENEFITS FOR THE PUBLIC FROM SUCH A LAW WOULD NOT BE COMMENSURATE WITH THE COSTS. WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED TO AVOID ANOTHER LAYER OF BUREAUCRACY WHICH MIGHT DO LITTLE TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO INFORMATION. THE CASE FOR SUCH A LAW HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN. IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THERE ARE 70 NEWSPAPERS PUBLISHED EVERY DAY IN HONG KONG. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE 600 MAGAZINES, THREE RADIO AND THREE TELEVISION STATIONS. NOT ONE OF THEM IS SUBJECT TO POLITICAL CENSORSHIP AND EVERY ONE OF THEM FEELS ABLE TO CRITICISE THE GOVERNMENT WHENEVER THEY WISH.
(B)
POLITICAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS.
ELEMENTS OF POLITICAL EDUCATION HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAMME FOR SCHOOLS SINCE THE MID 1980'S. AT PRIMARY AND JUNIOR SECONDARY LEVELS IT IS INCLUDED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES SUBJECT, AND AT SENIOR SECONDARY LEVEL, IN MORE DETAIL IN THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS SUBJECT. AT SIXTH FORM LEVEL, THE NEW ADVANCED SUPPLEMENTARY LIBERAL STUDIES SUBJECT GIVES IN DEPTH CONSIDERATION TO POLITICS, POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS.
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