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I P.Q. Attached].
HkK240/2
Parliamentary Unit
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1981 3 1 AF413
1513
PQS: HONG KONG
I submit draft replies and background notes to 4 PQs from
Mr Robert Parry MP for priority written answer on 2 March.
These are based on information from the Hong Kong Government.
Sir E Youde has seen them and concurs.
2.
Question 3 is a difficult one. There are no accepted
definitions of civic liberties and human rights. The Hong Kong
Government have stated that the position in Hong Kong is very
similar to that in the United Kingdom and that their record is
good. They therefore suggested that the answer might contain the
statement that the human rights and civic liberties available
in the Territory compare very favourably with any country in
Asia and most in Europe. I do not, however, recommend that we
go beyond the draft since it could very reasonably be claimed,
among other things, that an elected legislature is one of the
basic human rights and this, of course, is not available in Hong
Kong.
1 March 1982
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R D Clift
Hong Kong and General Department
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