TNAG-2553-FCO40-3728-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-review-of-legislation-1992 — Page 71

CONFIDENTIAL

HKC 241/1

20

041024

MDLIAN 0129

TOP COPY Q DIST?

pis.

сы

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 246

OF 281006Z JANUARY 92

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

or late

m

10

YRTELNO 52 AND 59 AND OUR TELNO 134: BILL OF RIGHTS: REVIEW OF

LEGISLATION

1. EXCO CONSIDERED THE DRAFT BILLS TO AMEND THE PREVENTION OF BRIBERY AND ICAC ORDINANCES TODAY AND ADVISED THAT THEY SHOULD BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

2. MEMBERS ACCEPTED THE APPROACH SET OUT IN OUR TELNO 56 TO INFORMING OR CONSULTING THE CHINESE ON LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENTS NECESSITATED BY THE BILL OF RIGHTS ORDINANCE. THEY AGREED THAT WE SHOULD NOT INFORM THE CHINESE ABOUT THE TWO AMENDING BILLS MENTIONED IN PARA 1. AS REGARDS AMENDMENTS TO THE OTHER FOUR ORDINANCES LISTED IN PARA 2 OF OUR TELNO 56, MEMBERS AGREED THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT TO INFORM OR CONSULT THE CHINESE ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.

3. IN PARA 2 OF FIRST TUR YOU EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT INTRODUCTION OF THESE TWO AMENDMENTS INTO LEGCO CLOSE TO THE END OF FEBRUARY WOULD BE TOO CLOSE TO QIAN QICHEN'S VISIT ON 9-10 MARCH. YOU ASKED IF WE COULD ADVANCE THE INTRODUCTION INTO LEGCO TO MID- FEBRUARY AND WE REPLIED THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADVANCE IT TO

19 FEBRUARY.

4. HOWEVER, THE CRITICAL DATE IS NOT THAT ON WHICH THE AMENDING BILLS ARE FORMALLY INTRODUCED INTO LEGCO. WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THE PUBLICATION OF THE BILLS AND THE RELATED PUBLICITY WOULD TRIGGER CHINESE REACTION, IF ANY. IN THIS REGARD, THE BILLS WILL BE PUBLISHED WITH THE GAZETTE ON 7 FEBRUARY. BEFORE THEN, A PRESS RELEASE AND A LEGCO BRIEF WILL BE ISSUED TO EXPLAIN THE BILLS ON 30 JANUARY. THIS GIVES AMPLE TIME FOR THE CHINESE TO REACT, IF THEY ARE GOING TO, WELL BEFORE QIAN QICHEN'S VISIT.

5. THE FORMAL INTRODUCTION OF THE BILLS INTO LEGCO HAS HAD TO BE RESCHEDULED FROM 19 TO 26 FEBRUARY OWING TO THE EXIGENCIES OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME.

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