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Question No. 4
of the future special Consistency between the Basic Law Administration Region and the Lind-British Won't Declaration
Reply by the Hon the Chief Secretary
Sir David Ford, KBE, LVO, JP
to the question raised by Dr the 11
Hon Richard Lai
in the Legislative Council on 18 May 1988
4. MR. LAI (in Cantonese):
Question Bearing in mind that the Hong Kong Government made a substantial contribution to the contents of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, what measures is it now taking in the interests of Hong Kong people to help to ensure that the draft Basic Law of the future Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is consistent with the
Joint Declaration?
CHIEF SECRETARY:
Sir,
The drafting of the Basic Law is, of course, matter for the Chinese Government. However, in his statement to Parliament in January introducing the annual report on Hong Kong, the Foreign Secretary made it clear that the British Government have the right to satisfy themselves that the eventual provisions of the Basic Law fully and accurately reflect the Joint Declaration. At present, we are carefully studying the Basic Law consultation draft. It is a complex document. If the Hong Kong Government considered that there were provisions which appeared to be inconsistent with the Joint Declaration, it would make its views known to the Chinese authorities clearly, and firmly in the most effective way. This would probably be through the British Government.
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