TNAG-2555-FCO40-3730-Hong-Kong-Bill-of-Rights-Police-Force-(Amendment)-Bill-1992-1992 — Page 31

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C

all its works.

5. The detailed legal and technical comments in the second

telegram concentrate on the powers the police enjoy in

regard to arrest (arbitrary or not) and detention, and the

possibility from challenges in the Hong Kong Courts. These

comments need not hold up consultations with ExCo.

Ministers have previously agreed that we should have

discretion to approve Hong Kong's proposals for handling

Ordinances subject to the BOR freeze period where these do

not raise significant political issues. Despite Peking's views, and in the absence of overwhelming political considerations which would require us to brief the Chinese,

and which would only serve to give the Chinese an

opportunity to voice their objections to the BOR, I

recommend we agree to Hong Kong's proposal not to brief the

Chinese.

Пор H.

PF Ricketts

KS1ACP/3

CONFIDENTIAL