28 MAR
14:15
FROM COL
TECH PADIO
TO FCO NEWS
PAGE,000
TRAESCRIPT A HONG KONG SELECT COMMITTEE MEETING
22 MAR 89
CHAIRKAN (CONT);
I wonder if we could just start on the work of the Joint
Liaison Group. As you say, and indeed as your Memorandum says,
this is the main forum for implementing the provisions of the
Joint Declaration. You mentioned that work is being done and
progress being made. Could you just go in a little more detai) into the progress and achievements of the Joint Liaison Group and
exactly where it is now headed?
FORRIGH SECRETARY:
Well Chairman, it is, as I have said, the main forum for
Intergovernmental discussion of implementing the Joint
Declaration. Since it was established in July 1985, it has bad 12
Plenary Meetings, one has just concluded in Peking, but of course
there have been very very many meetings at expert level.
Since 1 July last year when Hong Kong became the principle
base of the JLG and both sides established their JLG offices in
Hong Kong, there have been regular and frequent contacts between
those offices.
Now the main achievements of the JLG to date are set out in
Annex B to the Memorandum we have already submitted to your
Committee.
You will see that they cover a wide range of matters,
all of great importance to Hong Kong's future. Many of them are
very techuical and all of the achievements that have been rade
there have only been secured after detailed, complex, very hard
negotiations.