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Oral Answers
18 FEBRUARY 1987
Sir Peter Blaker: Will my right hon. and learned Friend confirm that despite recent political changes in China, the policy of the Government of China towards Hong Kong remains the same as it has been-that is, the policy set out in the joint declaration and agreement of two years ago? Will he confirm that he expects that situation to continue and that there is therefore every ground for continued optimism about the future of Hong Kong?
Sir Geoffrey Howe: I am glad to be able to respond to my right hon. Friend in the way that he would hope. I think that the whole House will have welcomed the statement of the Chinese Prime Minister, Mr. Zhao Ziyang, that China's internal and external policies will not be affected by recent events. In particular, a number of Chinese Government spokesmen have emphasised that China's policies towards Hong Kong will not be affected.
Mr. Anderson: Sir David will know that he carries with him the good wishes of the whole House. On the question of direct elections, will the Foreign Secretary state what construction he places on the warnings, both by senior officials and in magazines, that direct elections, if implemented, might be halted after 1997? Will he reassure the people of Hong Kong that if the internal consultation process in Hong Kong this year shows a clear majority in favour of an element of direct elections it will indeed come about? Will he also make it crystal clear to Beijing that although we shall, of course, work very closely with the Chinese Government we in Britain remain in effective control of the territory until 1997?
Sir Geoffrey Howe: I understand, of course, the importance that the whole House and, indeed, the Government of the People's Republic of China attach to the maintenance of Britain's responsibility for administra- tion until 1997. As the hon. Gentleman knows, direct elections are one of the issues being considered in the review by the Hong Kong Government of the further development of representative government. It would not be right for me to try to anticipate the outcome. It is a genuine and objective review in which the views of the Hong Kong people will be taken fully into account. I am equally confident in this as in other respects that it is possible for the British and Chinese Governments to take full account of each other's concerns as well as those of the people of Hong Kong.
Poland
3. Mr. Stevens asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with Poland.
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Tim Renton): Recent contacts with Poland have included a meeting between my right hon. and learned Friend and the Polish Foreign Minister at the United Nations General Assembly in September, and my visit to Warsaw from 5 February to 8 February. We intend to continue an active dialogue in which human rights and the need for national reconciliation in Poland will play a major part.
Mr. Stevens: I thank my hon. Friend for that encouraging reply. Does he regard today's news that the United States Government are to lift some economic
Oral Answers
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sanctions on Poland as encouraging? What are the prospects of the Polish Government ceasing to jam broadcasts to Poland by the BBC world service?
Mr. Renton: I raised this matter specifically with Mr. Olechowski the Polish Deputy Foreign Minister during my visit, and this morning in the course of a discussion with Mr. Urban the Polish Government press spokesman. It was denied that the Polish Government jammed BBC broadcasts in Polish, but I was assured that it was not the Polish Government's intention to "disturb" BBC broadcasts. I use the word "disturb” deliberately because that is the word that was used. Mr. Urban told me that on his return to Poland he would investigate the sources of any disturbance and would take steps aimed at ending it.
Mr. Freeson: Did the Minister discuss with the Polish representatives the recently revealed shameful policy of successive British Governments since 1948 in failing to pursue Nazi war criminals who carried out terrible acts on Polish territory and the revelations that we assisted the departure of war criminals responsible for such conduct in Poland and other territories to safe haven in the United States? Is that why the Mengele file was not published, for sensitive reasons, a year or so ago?
Mr. Renton: The hon. Gentleman has made wide- ranging allegations that go far beyond any evidence that has ever been put before this or any other Government. He has raised matters of great seriousness and if he cares to write with full details to me or to other Ministers we shall consider very carefully what he says.
Mr. Galley: Does my hon. Friend see any prospects for the development of further democracy in Poland and for improvements in human rights? On the latter point, the amnesty on political prisoners last year was very welcome, but a number of opponents of the regime are still held on minor, supposedly criminal offences. Perhaps the most celebrated case is that of the Krakow leaflet bombers. Does my hon. Friend believe that there is now a more enlightened attitude on human rights issues in Poland?
Mr. Renton: During my visit to Warsaw I raised specifically the question of the 18 prisoners who are still detained, following the release of substantial numbers of political prisoners last autumn. In the case of those 18, there certainly seems to be evidence of a political nature either in the charges brought against them or in the sentences that they have received. The Polish authorities have promised to send me full information about those 18 cases, which I will examine further when I receive it.
On the more general question, I believe that Poland is at the crossroads, as so often in the history of that troubled nation. The Polish authorities have released many thousands of political prisoners, but it is hard to detect any true democracy or pluralism as we see it emerging either in the Polish trade union movement or in the new consultative council. These are developments which, with our long-standing friendship with the Polish nation, we shall be watching very carefully.
Strategic Defence Initiative
4. Mr. Wallace asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the policy implications for the United Kingdom of an early deployment of the strategic defence initiative; and if he will
make a statement.
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