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TRAJSCRIPT A HONG KONG SELECT COMMITTER MERT LEG
22 TAR 89
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FORBIGE SECRETARY:
Well as you know Chairman, the role of the JLG after 1997
continues until 1 January 2000, so that for that two and a half
years after July 1997 the British Government, will be in a position, through the JLG, still to monitor and influence the
implementation of the Joint Declaration.
This particular provision for the continuation beyond 1997 of something to which the representatives of Hong Kong attached
the greatest importance during our negotiations, we wished to establish a mirror image going beyond 1997 of formal Joint partnership of this kind, and when we succeeded in securing Chinese agreement to that it was probably welcomed by the people of Hong Kong almost more than anything else as a visible
demonstration of our continuing commitment to the implementation
of the Joint Declaration.
CHAIRMAN:
Is there any chance that the Joint Liaison Group might go on
after that, further into the future?
FOREIGN SECRETARY:
That has not been suggested Chairman and not I think
canvassed anywhere.
But I hope very much that the habit and
practice and pattern of liaison, which will have been built up
over a long period of time, will be able to continue in one form
or another.