POPAAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FAC REPORT ON HONG KONG: SHORT COMMENTARY ON RECOMMENDATIONS
JOINT DECLARATION AND BASIC LAW
2.3 Tearing up Joint Declaration, reneging on Joint Declaration and
breaking off all negotiations with China is not an option:
2.3
Agreed. We have stated that the Joint Declaration remains the
cornerstone of our policy, and that it is better for Hong Kong to
return to China under the terms of the Joint Declaration than
without an agreement.
PRC may need to give stronger guarantees through Basic Law to
re-establish confidence and trust:
2.4.
-
Agreed. Much depends on China's future words and, most
importantly, actions. Must demonstrate full commitment to Joint
Declaration and, in revising Basic Law, must demonstrate willingness
to take account of Hong Kong concerns.
Joint Declaration remains surest base for Hong Kong's future.
concentrate on implementation of provisions, especially through
Basic Law:
Must
2.6
Agreed. We have already taken this line. We shall continue to
monitor carefully whether aspects of the Basic Law need revision,
and the programme of work in JLG.
Basic Law must "build up" details of SAR's Government and administrative system:
―
Agreed in principle. Basic Law already gives broad outline of
future structure of government. But care must be taken to avoid too
much detail which would only bind the SAR Government too closely.
CONFIDENTIAL