WASHINGTON, June 6 (AFP) - The United States has assured a group of Hong Kong legislators that it remains worried about the territory's proposed new sedition law and will continue to raise its concerns publicly, the State Department said Friday.

The assurances were given on Thursday during a meeting between the group, led by Hong Kong's most prominent opposition politician, Martin Lee, and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, the department said in a statement.

"The (Hong Kong) delegation expressed deep concerns about proposed laws on subversion and sedition," deputy spokesman Philip Reeker said.

Armitage "assured them that the United States remains deeply committed to the preservation of Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and the fundamental freedoms of the Hong Kong people," he said.

Armitage "also told the group the United States strongly believes that implementation of the proposed laws on sedition and subversion must not result in any restrictions on individual liberties, religious freedom, freedom of the press, and freedom of speech in Hong Kong," Reeker said.

"The deputy secretary emphasized we will follow developments in Hong Kong closely and continue to express our concerns publicly."

The meeting followed a series of similar expressions of US concerns about the law the latest of which was last month, when Reeker said Washington has "serious reservations" about the controversial legislation despite changes made by the territory's government.

Under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the territory's mini-constitution, Hong Kong is obliged to pass laws banning treason, sedition, subversion and the theft of state secrets.

The government, which had watered down the initial version after a three-month consultation period, submitted the law to the Legislative Council in February and is hoping to have the legislation on the statute books by July.

The Hong Kong government has reiterated pledges that fundamental rights and freedoms in the territory would continue to be guaranteed under the "one country, two systems" formula which has governed the former British colony since its return to China in 1997.

But Reeker said the changes were not enough to mollify US concerns that the law sought to blur the line between Hong Kong and Chinese law and could be used to suppress freedoms including those of media, speech and religion.


http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bg/Qus-hongkong-politics.Rz8u_Du6.html