CONFIDENTIAL
FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE: MR MAUDE'S EVIDENCE, 13 DECEMBER
JOINT DECLARATION
-
JD remains cornerstone of our policy.
- Welcome Committee's recognition that JD is the "best and surest
treaty base for the future of Hong Kong".
Remain absolutely committed to honouring our obligations under JD.
To critics of JD who argue that we should scrap JD or refuse to hand Hong Kong back in 1997, we point out that there is no realistic
alternative. Cannot start from what might have been. Have to
start from the geographical and historical facts.
China too has reiterated its commitment to JD and we welcome this.
As you will have seen from Communique, of Joint Liaison Group which met in Hong Kong on 5-8 December have now resumed normal dialogue
with Chinese on implementation of JD.
Our task now is to ensure that safeguards in JD remain real and
credible and that undertakings given in JD are honoured.
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NESACR (3)
CONFIDENTIAL