TNAG-2715-FCO40-3921-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 43

CONFIDENTIAL

FROM:

J C Morris

Hong Kong Department

DATE:

28 October 1993

HKB 011/8

CC:

RECE

MISTRY

100!

1903

STRV

INC

Private Secretary

PS/PUS

Mr Anderson

) Legal

Mr Chamberlain) Advisers

Ms Barrett

Mr Fry (FED)

Mr Willis, News Dept

Mr Wye, RAD

Mr Thomson,PRU

Sir J Coles

Mr Hum o/r

PS/Mr Goodląd

FAC REPORT ON HONG KONG/CHINA: REQUEST FOR EVIDENCE FROM FCO

LEGAL ADVISERS

A

Problem

1. A request from the FAC that an FCO legal adviser should

attend a public evidence session on 3 November, as one of "a

panel of lawyers", to advise on the compatibility of the Governor's constitutional proposals with the Joint Declaration

(JD), Basic Law (BL), and 1990 exchanges.

Recommendation

2.

I recommend that Ministers agree to offer a senior legal adviser to give evidence supported by other officials, but that we should not agree that he should sit on a panel of other lawyers. The Deputy Legal Adviser, FED, the Governor of

Hong Kong and HMA Peking have been consulted.

Background and Argument

During their visit to China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, members

of the FAC were exposed to the Chinese contention that our

3.

sub.facreport.MORRIS

JEB

CONFIDENTIAL

92