Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 251287 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AEMR ASEC AMGT AE AS AMED AVIAN AU AF AORC AGENDA AO AR AM APER AFIN ATRN AJ ABUD ARABL AL AG AODE ALOW ADANA AADP AND APECO ACABQ ASEAN AA AFFAIRS AID AGR AY AGS AFSI AGOA AMB ARF ANET ASCH ACOA AFLU AFSN AMEX AFDB ABLD AESC AFGHANISTAN AINF AVIATION ARR ARSO ANDREW ASSEMBLY AIDS APRC ASSK ADCO ASIG AC AZ APEC AFINM ADB AP ACOTA ASEX ACKM ASUP ANTITERRORISM ADPM AINR ARABLEAGUE AGAO AORG AMTC AIN ACCOUNT ASECAFINGMGRIZOREPTU AIDAC AINT ARCH AMGTKSUP ALAMI AMCHAMS ALJAZEERA AVIANFLU AORD AOREC ALIREZA AOMS AMGMT ABDALLAH AORCAE AHMED ACCELERATED AUC ALZUGUREN ANGEL AORL ASECIR AMG AMBASSADOR AEMRASECCASCKFLOMARRPRELPINRAMGTJMXL ADM ASES ABMC AER AMER ASE AMGTHA ARNOLDFREDERICK AOPC ACS AFL AEGR ASED AFPREL AGRI AMCHAM ARNOLD AN ANATO AME APERTH ASECSI AT ACDA ASEDC AIT AMERICA AMLB AMGE ACTION AGMT AFINIZ ASECVE ADRC ABER AGIT APCS AEMED ARABBL ARC ASO AIAG ACEC ASR ASECM ARG AEC ABT ADIP ADCP ANARCHISTS AORCUN AOWC ASJA AALC AX AROC ARM AGENCIES ALBE AK AZE AOPR AREP AMIA ASCE ALANAZI ABDULRAHMEN ABDULHADI AINFCY ARMS ASECEFINKCRMKPAOPTERKHLSAEMRNS AGRICULTURE AFPK AOCR ALEXANDER ATRD ATFN ABLG AORCD AFGHAN ARAS AORCYM AVERY ALVAREZ ACBAQ ALOWAR ANTOINE ABLDG ALAB AMERICAS AFAF ASECAFIN ASEK ASCC AMCT AMGTATK AMT APDC AEMRS ASECE AFSA ATRA ARTICLE ARENA AISG AEMRBC AFR AEIR ASECAF AFARI AMPR ASPA ASOC ANTONIO AORCL ASECARP APRM AUSTRALIAGROUP ASEG AFOR AEAID AMEDI ASECTH ASIC AFDIN AGUIRRE AUNR ASFC AOIC ANTXON ASA ASECCASC ALI AORCEUNPREFPRELSMIGBN ASECKHLS ASSSEMBLY ASECVZ AI ASECPGOV ASIR ASCEC ASAC ARAB AIEA ADMIRAL AUSGR AQ AMTG ARRMZY ANC APR AMAT AIHRC AFU ADEL AECL ACAO AMEMR ADEP AV AW AOR ALL ALOUNI AORCUNGA ALNEA ASC AORCO ARMITAGE AGENGA AGRIC AEM ACOAAMGT AGUILAR AFPHUM AMEDCASCKFLO AFZAL AAA ATPDEA ASECPHUM ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
ETRD ETTC EU ECON EFIN EAGR EAID ELAB EINV ENIV ENRG EPET EZ ELTN ELECTIONS ECPS ET ER EG EUN EIND ECONOMICS EMIN ECIN EINT EWWT EAIR EN ENGR ES EI ETMIN EL EPA EARG EFIS ECONOMY EC EK ELAM ECONOMIC EAR ESDP ECCP ELN EUM EUMEM ECA EAP ELEC ECOWAS EFTA EXIM ETTD EDRC ECOSOC ECPSN ENVIRONMENT ECO EMAIL ECTRD EREL EDU ENERG ENERGY ENVR ETRAD EAC EXTERNAL EFIC ECIP ERTD EUC ENRGMO EINZ ESTH ECCT EAGER ECPN ELNT ERD EGEN ETRN EIVN ETDR EXEC EIAD EIAR EVN EPRT ETTF ENGY EAIDCIN EXPORT ETRC ESA EIB EAPC EPIT ESOCI ETRB EINDQTRD ENRC EGOV ECLAC EUR ELF ETEL ENRGUA EVIN EARI ESCAP EID ERIN ELAN ENVT EDEV EWWY EXBS ECOM EV ELNTECON ECE ETRDGK EPETEIND ESCI ETRDAORC EAIDETRD ETTR EMS EAGRECONEINVPGOVBN EBRD EUREM ERGR EAGRBN EAUD EFI ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ETRO ENRGY EGAR ESSO EGAD ENV ENER EAIDXMXAXBXFFR ELA EET EINVETRD EETC EIDN ERGY ETRDPGOV EING EMINCG EINVECON EURM EEC EICN EINO EPSC ELAP ELABPGOVBN EE ESPS ETRA ECONETRDBESPAR ERICKSON EEOC EVENTS EPIN EB ECUN EPWR ENG EX EH EAIDAR EAIS ELBA EPETUN ETRDEIQ EENV ECPC ETRP ECONENRG EUEAID EWT EEB EAIDNI ESENV EADM ECN ENRGKNNP ETAD ETR ECONETRDEAGRJA ETRG ETER EDUC EITC EBUD EAIF EBEXP EAIDS EITI EGOVSY EFQ ECOQKPKO ETRGY ESF EUE EAIC EPGOV ENFR EAGRE ENRD EINTECPS EAVI ETC ETCC EIAID EAIDAF EAGREAIDPGOVPRELBN EAOD ETRDA EURN EASS EINVA EAIDRW EON ECOR EPREL EGPHUM ELTM ECOS EINN ENNP EUPGOV EAGRTR ECONCS ETIO ETRDGR EAIDB EISNAR EIFN ESPINOSA EAIDASEC ELIN EWTR EMED ETFN ETT EADI EPTER ELDIN EINVEFIN ESS ENRGIZ EQRD ESOC ETRDECD ECINECONCS EAIT ECONEAIR ECONEFIN EUNJ ENRGKNNPMNUCPARMPRELNPTIAEAJMXL ELAD EFIM ETIC EFND EFN ETLN ENGRD EWRG ETA EIN EAIRECONRP EXIMOPIC ERA ENRGJM ECONEGE ENVI ECHEVARRIA EMINETRD EAD ECONIZ EENG ELBR EWWC ELTD EAIDMG ETRK EIPR EISNLN ETEX EPTED EFINECONCS EPCS EAG ETRDKIPR ED EAIO ETRDEC ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ERNG EFINU EURFOR EWWI ELTNSNAR ETD EAIRASECCASCID EOXC ESTN EAIDAORC EAGRRP ETRDEMIN ELABPHUMSMIGKCRMBN ETRDEINVTINTCS EGHG EAIDPHUMPRELUG EAGRBTIOBEXPETRDBN EDA EPETPGOV ELAINE EUCOM EMW EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM ELB EINDETRD EMI ETRDECONWTOCS EINR ESTRADA EHUM EFNI ELABV ENR EMN EXO EWWTPRELPGOVMASSMARRBN EATO END EP EINVETC ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID ELTRN EIQ ETTW EAI ENGRG ETRED ENDURING ETTRD EAIDEGZ EOCN EINF EUPREL ENRL ECPO ENLT EEFIN EPPD ECOIN EUEAGR EISL EIDE ENRGSD EINVECONSENVCSJA EAIG ENTG EEPET EUNCH EPECO ETZ EPAT EPTE EAIRGM ETRDPREL EUNGRSISAFPKSYLESO ETTN EINVKSCA ESLCO EBMGT ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EFLU ELND EFINOECD EAIDHO EDUARDO ENEG ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EFINTS ECONQH ENRGPREL EUNPHUM EINDIR EPE EMINECINECONSENVTBIONS EFINM ECRM EQ EWWTSP ECONPGOVBN
KFLO KPKO KDEM KFLU KTEX KMDR KPAO KCRM KIDE KN KNNP KG KMCA KZ KJUS KWBG KU KDMR KAWC KCOR KPAL KOMC KTDB KTIA KISL KHIV KHUM KTER KCFE KTFN KS KIRF KTIP KIRC KSCA KICA KIPR KPWR KWMN KE KGIC KGIT KSTC KACT KSEP KFRD KUNR KHLS KCRS KRVC KUWAIT KVPR KSRE KMPI KMRS KNRV KNEI KCIP KSEO KITA KDRG KV KSUM KCUL KPET KBCT KO KSEC KOLY KNAR KGHG KSAF KWNM KNUC KMNP KVIR KPOL KOCI KPIR KLIG KSAC KSTH KNPT KINL KPRP KRIM KICC KIFR KPRV KAWK KFIN KT KVRC KR KHDP KGOV KPOW KTBT KPMI KPOA KRIF KEDEM KFSC KY KGCC KATRINA KWAC KSPR KTBD KBIO KSCI KRCM KNNB KBNC KIMT KCSY KINR KRAD KMFO KCORR KW KDEMSOCI KNEP KFPC KEMPI KBTR KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNPP KTTB KTFIN KBTS KCOM KFTN KMOC KOR KDP KPOP KGHA KSLG KMCR KJUST KUM KMSG KHPD KREC KIPRTRD KPREL KEN KCSA KCRIM KGLB KAKA KWWT KUNP KCRN KISLPINR KLFU KUNC KEDU KCMA KREF KPAS KRKO KNNC KLHS KWAK KOC KAPO KTDD KOGL KLAP KECF KCRCM KNDP KSEAO KCIS KISM KREL KISR KISC KKPO KWCR KPFO KUS KX KWCI KRFD KWPG KTRD KH KLSO KEVIN KEANE KACW KWRF KNAO KETTC KTAO KWIR KVCORR KDEMGT KPLS KICT KWGB KIDS KSCS KIRP KSTCPL KDEN KLAB KFLOA KIND KMIG KPPAO KPRO KLEG KGKG KCUM KTTP KWPA KIIP KPEO KICR KNNA KMGT KCROM KMCC KLPM KNNPGM KSIA KSI KWWW KOMS KESS KMCAJO KWN KTDM KDCM KCM KVPRKHLS KENV KCCP KGCN KCEM KEMR KWMNKDEM KNNPPARM KDRM KWIM KJRE KAID KWMM KPAONZ KUAE KTFR KIF KNAP KPSC KSOCI KCWI KAUST KPIN KCHG KLBO KIRCOEXC KI KIRCHOFF KSTT KNPR KDRL KCFC KLTN KPAOKMDRKE KPALAOIS KESO KKOR KSMT KFTFN KTFM KDEMK KPKP KOCM KNN KISLSCUL KFRDSOCIRO KINT KRG KWMNSMIG KSTCC KPAOY KFOR KWPR KSEPCVIS KGIV KSEI KIL KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KQ KEMS KHSL KTNF KPDD KANSOU KKIV KFCE KTTC KGH KNNNP KK KSCT KWNN KAWX KOMCSG KEIM KTSD KFIU KDTB KFGM KACP KWWMN KWAWC KSPA KGICKS KNUP KNNO KISLAO KTPN KSTS KPRM KPALPREL KPO KTLA KCRP KNMP KAWCK KCERS KDUM KEDM KTIALG KWUN KPTS KPEM KMEPI KAWL KHMN KCRO KCMR KPTD KCROR KMPT KTRF KSKN KMAC KUK KIRL KEM KSOC KBTC KOM KINP KDEMAF KTNBT KISK KRM KWBW KBWG KNNPMNUC KNOP KSUP KCOG KNET KWBC KESP KMRD KEBG KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KPWG KOMCCO KRGY KNNF KPROG KJAN KFRED KPOKO KM KWMNCS KMPF KJWC KJU KSMIG KALR KRAL KDGOV KPA KCRMJA KCRI KAYLA KPGOV KRD KNNPCH KFEM KPRD KFAM KALM KIPRETRDKCRM KMPP KADM KRFR KMWN KWRG KTIAPARM KTIAEUN KRDP KLIP KDDEM KTIAIC KWKN KPAD KDM KRCS KWBGSY KEAI KIVP KPAOPREL KUNH KTSC KIPT KNP KJUSTH KGOR KEPREL KHSA KGHGHIV KNNR KOMH KRCIM KWPB KWIC KINF KPER KILS KA KNRG KCSI KFRP KLFLO KFE KNPPIS KQM KQRDQ KERG KPAOPHUM KSUMPHUM KVBL KARIM KOSOVO KNSD KUIR KWHG KWBGXF KWMNU KPBT KKNP KERF KCRT KVIS KWRC KVIP KTFS KMARR KDGR KPAI KDE KTCRE KMPIO KUNRAORC KHOURY KAWS KPAK KOEM KCGC KID KVRP KCPS KIVR KBDS KWOMN KIIC KTFNJA KARZAI KMVP KHJUS KPKOUNSC KMAR KIBL KUNA KSA KIS KJUSAF KDEV KPMO KHIB KIRD KOUYATE KIPRZ KBEM KPAM KDET KPPD KOSCE KJUSKUNR KICCPUR KRMS KWMNPREL KWMJN KREISLER KWM KDHS KRV KPOV KWMNCI KMPL KFLD KWWN KCVM KIMMITT KCASC KOMO KNATO KDDG KHGH KRF KSCAECON KWMEN KRIC
PREL PINR PGOV PHUM PTER PE PREF PARM PBTS PINS PHSA PK PL PM PNAT PHAS PO PROP PGOVE PA PU POLITICAL PPTER POL PALESTINIAN PHUN PIN PAMQ PPA PSEC POLM PBIO PSOE PDEM PAK PF PKAO PGOVPRELMARRMOPS PMIL PV POLITICS PRELS POLICY PRELHA PIRN PINT PGOG PERSONS PRC PEACE PROCESS PRELPGOV PROV PFOV PKK PRE PT PIRF PSI PRL PRELAF PROG PARMP PERL PUNE PREFA PP PGOB PUM PROTECTION PARTIES PRIL PEL PAGE PS PGO PCUL PLUM PIF PGOVENRGCVISMASSEAIDOPRCEWWTBN PMUC PCOR PAS PB PKO PY PKST PTR PRM POUS PRELIZ PGIC PHUMS PAL PNUC PLO PMOPS PHM PGOVBL PBK PELOSI PTE PGOVAU PNR PINSO PRO PLAB PREM PNIR PSOCI PBS PD PHUML PERURENA PKPA PVOV PMAR PHUMCF PUHM PHUH PRELPGOVETTCIRAE PRT PROPERTY PEPFAR PREI POLUN PAR PINSF PREFL PH PREC PPD PING PQL PINSCE PGV PREO PRELUN POV PGOVPHUM PINRES PRES PGOC PINO POTUS PTERE PRELKPAO PRGOV PETR PGOVEAGRKMCAKNARBN PPKO PARLIAMENT PEPR PMIG PTBS PACE PETER PMDL PVIP PKPO POLMIL PTEL PJUS PHUMNI PRELKPAOIZ PGOVPREL POGV PEREZ POWELL PMASS PDOV PARN PG PPOL PGIV PAIGH PBOV PETROL PGPV PGOVL POSTS PSO PRELEU PRELECON PHUMPINS PGOVKCMABN PQM PRELSP PRGO PATTY PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PGVO PROTESTS PRELPLS PKFK PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PARAGRAPH PRELGOV POG PTRD PTERM PBTSAG PHUMKPAL PRELPK PTERPGOV PAO PRIVATIZATION PSCE PPAO PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PARALYMPIC PRUM PKPRP PETERS PAHO PARMS PGREL PINV POINS PHUMPREL POREL PRELNL PHUMPGOV PGOVQL PLAN PRELL PARP PROVE PSOC PDD PRELNP PRELBR PKMN PGKV PUAS PRELTBIOBA PBTSEWWT PTERIS PGOVU PRELGG PHUMPRELPGOV PFOR PEPGOV PRELUNSC PRAM PICES PTERIZ PREK PRELEAGR PRELEUN PHUME PHU PHUMKCRS PRESL PRTER PGOF PARK PGOVSOCI PTERPREL PGOVEAID PGOVPHUMKPAO PINSKISL PREZ PGOVAF PARMEUN PECON PINL POGOV PGOVLO PIERRE PRELPHUM PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PBST PKPAO PHUMHUPPS PGOVPOL PASS PPGOV PROGV PAGR PHALANAGE PARTY PRELID PGOVID PHUMR PHSAQ PINRAMGT PSA PRELM PRELMU PIA PINRPE PBTSRU PARMIR PEDRO PNUK PVPR PINOCHET PAARM PRFE PRELEIN PINF PCI PSEPC PGOVSU PRLE PDIP PHEM PRELB PORG PGGOC POLG POPDC PGOVPM PWMN PDRG PHUMK PINB PRELAL PRER PFIN PNRG PRED POLI PHUMBO PHYTRP PROLIFERATION PHARM PUOS PRHUM PUNR PENA PGOVREL PETRAEUS PGOVKDEM PGOVENRG PHUS PRESIDENT PTERKU PRELKSUMXABN PGOVSI PHUMQHA PKISL PIR PGOVZI PHUMIZNL PKNP PRELEVU PMIN PHIM PHUMBA PUBLIC PHAM PRELKPKO PMR PARTM PPREL PN PROL PDA PGOVECON PKBL PKEAID PERM PRELEZ PRELC PER PHJM PGOVPRELPINRBN PRFL PLN PWBG PNG PHUMA PGOR PHUMPTER POLINT PPEF PKPAL PNNL PMARR PAC PTIA PKDEM PAUL PREG PTERR PTERPRELPARMPGOVPBTSETTCEAIRELTNTC PRELJA POLS PI PNS PAREL PENV PTEROREP PGOVM PINER PBGT PHSAUNSC PTERDJ PRELEAID PARMIN PKIR PLEC PCRM PNET PARR PRELETRD PRELBN PINRTH PREJ PEACEKEEPINGFORCES PEMEX PRELZ PFLP PBPTS PTGOV PREVAL PRELSW PAUM PRF PHUMKDEM PATRICK PGOVKMCAPHUMBN PRELA PNUM PGGV PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PBT PIND PTEP PTERKS PGOVJM PGOT PRELMARR PGOVCU PREV PREFF PRWL PET PROB PRELPHUMP PHUMAF PVTS PRELAFDB PSNR PGOVECONPRELBU PGOVZL PREP PHUMPRELBN PHSAPREL PARCA PGREV PGOVDO PGON PCON PODC PRELOV PHSAK PSHA PGOVGM PRELP POSCE PGOVPTER PHUMRU PINRHU PARMR PGOVTI PPEL PMAT PAN PANAM PGOVBO PRELHRC

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06HONGKONG1656, UPDATE ON COVERT SURVEILLANCE AND WIRETAPPING

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06HONGKONG1656.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06HONGKONG1656 2006-04-20 09:11 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Consulate Hong Kong
VZCZCXRO8770
PP RUEHCN RUEHGH
DE RUEHHK #1656/01 1100911
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 200911Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL HONG KONG
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6215
INFO RUEHOO/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNFB/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HONG KONG 001656 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NSC FOR DENNIS WILDER 
DEPT FOR EAP/CM 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2031 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL HK CH PINR MC
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON COVERT SURVEILLANCE AND WIRETAPPING 
LEGISLATION 
 
REF: A. HONG KONG 0465 
     B. HONG KONG 0523 
 
Classified By: E/P Chief Simon Schuchat.  REASONS: 1.4(b,d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: As committee debate continues in the 
Legislative Council (Legco) on the Government's bill to 
regulate covert surveillance and wiretapping, critics of the 
legislation say they want to amend several troubling aspects 
of the legislation.  Two prominent legal groups recently 
issued reports citing flaws in the bill )- most notably the 
vagueness of the term "public security," which the bill uses 
as a justification for surveillance, and the proposal that 
warrants to conduct surveillance be issued by a panel of 
judges appointed by the Chief Executive (CE), which critics 
argue could lead to politicization.  A Justice Department 
official told us that the Government was trying to address 
legislators' concerns, but was unwilling to abandon these two 
points.  A pro-democracy legislator said that the Government 
is being fairly flexible in its negotiations with 
legislators.  Legco is expected to vote on the bill by early 
July, and passage seems likely.  End Summary. 
 
Legal Groups Cite Flaws in Government's Bill 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) On March 24, the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong 
(LRC), a public body composed of legal professionals 
appointed by the Chief Executive, issued recommendations on 
covert surveillance legislation (the report can be found at 
www.hkreform.gov.hk).  The LRC proposal differs in several 
key respects from the Government's bill, which was tabled in 
Legco on March 8 (see ref a).  Specifically, while the 
Government's bill allows for compensation for those wrongly 
surveilled, it has no provision requiring the Government to 
notify such persons and merely provides for internal 
disciplinary action in these cases.  The LRC recommendation 
calls for a notification system and proposes making officials 
criminally liable if they carry out surveillance without 
prior authorization.  The LRC proposal also recommends that 
warrants to conduct covert surveillance be issued by a court 
rather than by a special panel of judges appointed by the CE, 
as outlined in the Government's bill.  This feature of the 
Government's plan has been sharply criticized as allowing for 
politicization of the system.  (Comment: It is highly unusual 
for the Government to table legislation before getting the 
LRC's views, which carry significant weight.  The LRC's 
chairman is the Secretary for Justice, and its members 
include the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal, who 
is second only to the CE in the precedence list of the HKG. 
The move is an indication of the Government's desire to 
expedite the legislation (see ref a).  End Comment.) 
 
3. (SBU) On April 3, the Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) 
released a report criticizing the Government bill as "too 
vague."  The Government's bill says that law enforcement 
agencies can only seek authorization to conduct covert 
surveillance to prevent or detect "serious crime" or to 
safeguard "public security."  The legislation defines 
"serious crime" as any offense punishable by at least seven 
years imprisonment when seeking wiretapping authority, and at 
least three years imprisonment when seeking covert 
surveillance authority.  However, the HKBA said the scope of 
the term "serious crime" is too broad.  It recommended that 
the Government specify an "enumerated list of offenses." 
Likewise, the group called the term "public security" too 
vague and ill-defined to be included in the law.  HKBA 
chairman Philip Dykes said "I am still puzzled by the 
wording... it is clearly not national security.  No Hong Kong 
law gives law enforcement the power to protect 'public 
security'."  The director of Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, 
Law Yuk-kai, reportedly agreed that "public security" was "a 
rather confused concept."  Legislator Margaret Ng worried 
that inclusion of the term would broaden the scope of the law 
to allow covert surveillance even where there was no serious 
crime.  She speculated that the law could even be used to 
eavesdrop on attorney-client communications. 
 
4. (SBU) The HKBA, various legislators, and civil rights 
groups have also voiced concerns about a provision of the 
legislation thatwould require judges and their relaties to 
undergo a security or "integrity" check.  Government 
officials say the integrity checks are designed to protect 
classified information, and to minimize the risks that panel 
judges would have family members or friends whose cases would 
come before the panel.  Philip Dykes said "There is no case 
for vetting judges because, bydefinition, a judge can be 
 
HONG KONG 00001656  002 OF 003 
 
 
trusted with sensitive information."  Several lawmakers also 
called the Government's concern over potential conflicts of 
interest "ridiculous" since it was impossible to predict in 
advance what cases would come before the panel.  During the 
reading of the bill to Legco on March 8, Secretary for 
Security Ambrose Lee tried to reassure legislators by 
stating, "The pre-appointment check is not political vetting. 
 Anyone with access to sensitive government papers has to go 
through it."  Despite these assurances, pro-democracy 
lawmakers remained concerned that the proposed law grants too 
much power to the executive and could limit judicial 
independence. 
 
HKG Showing Flexibility in Negotiations 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5. (C) Democratic Party legislator James To, who is a member 
of the Bills Committee that is scrutinizing the legislation, 
told poloff on April 19 that the Government is being fairly 
flexible in its negotiations with Legco over the bill.  To 
speculated that CE Donald Tsang wanted to avoid negative 
media coverage over the next several months, a period when, 
according to To, Beijing will be deciding whether it wants to 
back Tsang for re-election.  Officials are also keen to avoid 
an "Article 23 scenario," To said, in reference to the 
Government's failed attempt in 2003 to enact national 
security legislation. 
 
6. (C) Nevertheless, To believes the HKG's hands are tied on 
two issues which he believes are "red lines" for Beijing )- 
the system of appointed judges, and the inclusion of the term 
"public security."  To described how the Government sought to 
address legislators' concerns on both of these issues by 
offering to include language that specifically ruled-out any 
nefarious scenarios that legislators could mention.  However, 
they steadfastly refuse to eliminate the term "public 
security."  This suggested to To that Beijing was behind the 
inclusion of this term, though he offered no evidence to 
support his claim.  The main point of contention, however, 
remains the proposal to allow the CE to appoint a panel of 
judges to issue wiretapping and covert surveillance warrants, 
To said. 
 
The Government's Response 
------------------------- 
 
7. (C) Ian Wingfield of Justice Department's International 
Law Office told poloff on April 20 that the Government was 
trying to address legislators' concerns, but was unwilling to 
compromise on two points -- the inclusion of the exception 
for protecting "public security," and the appointment of 
panel judges by the CE.  Wingfield argued that, because of 
its international obligations, the HKG simply could not 
restrict covert surveillance to cases where there is a 
suspected violation of Hong Kong law.  He cited the examples 
of terrorism and WMD proliferation, where suspects may not be 
suspected of violating any Hong Kong law, but where the 
Government has a clear international obligation to collect 
information about their activities.  Wingfield said that some 
lawmakers were being too parochial in their thinking.  Media 
reports have also speculated that the Government might need 
to conduct covert surveillance in cases involving public 
health, such as SARS or bird flu, though Wingfield did not 
make this argument. 
 
8. (C) To address lawmakers' concerns, Wingfield said the 
Government was willing to write specific exclusions into the 
law.  For example, many legislators are concerned that the 
Government could use the "public security" exception to 
conduct covert surveillance of public demonstrations. 
Wingfield said the Government would probably include language 
specifically ruling-out covert surveillance and wiretapping 
in the case of peaceful public demonstrations.  He also 
thought that an exception for attorney-client privilege was 
also "a good idea," but he stressed that it was simply not 
possible to enumerate a comprehensive list of things that the 
law does not cover, and he suggested that the text of the 
bill was already growing unwieldy. 
 
9. (C) Wingfield said the most contentious issue was the 
proposal giving the CE the power to appoint a panel of judges 
to issue warrants.  Wingfield was "surprised" by legislators' 
objections since the CE already has the constitutional 
authority to appoint all judges, with the recommendation of 
the judiciary.  He suggested that a possible compromise was 
to require the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal to 
recommend judges to the CE, who would then make the 
 
HONG KONG 00001656  003 OF 003 
 
 
appointments.  Wingfield was hopeful that this would allay 
legislators' concerns about politicization of the process. 
 
10. (C) The Government is not willing to require a broad 
system of after-the-fact notification of those surveilled as 
recommended by the LRC, Wingfield said.  Wingfield argued 
that such a system was impractical.  The most the Government 
would concede on this issue was to allow persons who suspect 
they were wrongly surveilled to make a complaint to a 
supervisory authority -- established to review whether 
warrants were issued correctly and executed in accordance 
with their conditions -- which would then be required to 
reach a conclusion as to whether the complaint was valid.  If 
the complaint were found to be valid, the law would allow for 
compensation. 
 
Enactment Virtually Assured This Summer 
--------------------------------------- 
 
11. (C) Despite the criticism of the Government's bill, To 
believes the legislation has the votes to pass.  The pro-PRC 
Chinese-language daily "Wen Wei Po" reported on March 8 that 
both the Liberal Party and the Democratic Alliance for the 
Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) would support the 
legislation, virtually ensuring its passage.  Nevertheless, 
To is hopeful that legislators will be able to amend the bill 
to address some of their concerns during the markup process 
over the next few months.  He noted that even the DAB 
supported some of the proposed changes, including the LRC 
proposal for a notification system.  To added that the DP had 
not yet decided whether it would support the bill.  Legco is 
expected to vote on the legislation before it breaks for 
summer recess in early July.  The High Court's six-month 
suspension of its February ruling invalidating the CE's 
authority to conduct covert surveillance expires on August 8 
(see ref b). 
Cunningham