SEAAFV
TEXT APPROVED BY MINISTERS.
PASSED TO FAC 13/iv/89 (264) (FAZED TO HKG, PEKING, MICREPILL)
SUPPLEMENTARY MEMORANDUM ON PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE
SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON 1984 ON HONG KONG
(FCO/FAC/12/89)
Mr Mclove
Mr Edwards Mrs Button, Uni inspect file
Enter
+. F
FAL
SUBMITTED BY THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
HKB 011/ priv
Background
Human Rights in Hong Kong
1. In 1976 Her Majesty's Government ratified the International
Covenant on Civil on Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) with
certain reservations (1), and extended the Covenants to 10
dependent territories including Hong Kong.
Application of the Covenants
to adopt such
British
2. There are no particular provisions in the Covenants prescribing
how effect should be given to them. Article 2(2) of the ICCPR
states that, "Where not already provided for by existing legislative
or other measures, each State Party to the present Covenant
undertakes to take the necessary steps
legislative or other measures as may be necessary to give effect to the rights recognised in the present Covenant. Article 2(1) of the
ICESCR has a similar provision that reads "each State Party to the
present Covenant undertakes to take steps
with a view to
achieving progressively the full realization of the rights recognised in the present Covenant by all appropriate means,
including particularly the adoption of legislative measures".
Note (1): The reservations applicable to Hong Kong relate to
legislation on equal pay for equal work for both sexes, federation of trade unions, representative government, and
appeal against the authority's decision on deportation.