SECURITY CLASSIFICATION
Top Secret
DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
rights and freedoms after 1997. The Joint Declaration
and the Basic Law provide important assurances about
this. But more could be done.
Accordingly, we and the
Secret
Confidential
Restricted
Unclassified
PRIVACY MARKING
Hong Kong Government are considering urgently how to
introduce a Bill of Rights for Hong Kong.
Such a
document would enshrine the fundamental rights and
freedoms currently enjoyed in Hong Kong and would give
clear effect to the International Convenants which
already apply to the Territory.
In Confidence
23. I referred earlier to my determination to do all we
can to safeguard Hong Kong's future in the remaining
years of British administration. In times of doubt and
concern, it is all the more important that the
administration of Hong Kong should be effective and
responsive to the changing requirements and aspirations of the people. I have every confidence in the ability of
the Governor, Sir David Wilson, and his team of
experienced and dedicated officials, to carry out their
important responsibilities.
24. There is no better example of the commitment and
efficiency of the Hong Kong administration than the way
in which they have coped with the formidable burden of
Vietnamese boat people. I pay warm tribute to all those
involved in this thankless task, not least to the
officials of the Correctional Services Department who
have done extraordinarily well within the inevitable
material and manpower constraints.