13. AFTER ALL, THAT DOCUMENT WILL TRANSLATE THE JOINT
DECLARATION INTO A DETAILED CONSTITUTION WHICH WILL
PROTECT HONG KONG'S SPECIAL STATUS. OF ITSELF IT MAY
NOT GIVE HONG KONG'S PEOPLE ALL THE CONFIDENCE THEY
SEEK. BUT IT IS THE BED ROCK UPON WHICH THAT
CONFIDENCE MUST BE BASED. THE RECENT EVENTS IN CHINA
HAVE THROWN SOME OF THE ARTICLES INTO STARK RELIEF.
STRONGER SAFEGUARDS ARE DEMANDED, AND WE ARE
CONSIDERING NOW HOW THOSE MIGHT BE TAKEN FORWARD.
HUMAN RIGHTS
14.
TOGETHER WITH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WE ARE
LOOKING URGENTLY AT WAYS OF GIVING MORE DETAILED AND
SPECIFIC LEGAL PROTECTION TO FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS
IN HONG KONG. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ARE ALSO
RECONSIDERING THE SCOPE FOR EARLY ACTION, SUCH AS THE
ENACTMENT IN THE TERRITORY OF A BILL OF RIGHTS. THE
PRECISE FORM OF ANY SUCH LEGISLATION AND THE TIMETABLE
NEED TO BE LOOKED AT. BUT ONE MERIT OF THIS APPROACH
WOULD BE TO PROVIDE A CODIFIED AND READILY AVAILABLE
BODY OF LAW, GIVING VERY CLEAR EFFECT TO THE
INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS WHICH ALREADY APPLY IN HONG
KONG.
/NATIONALITY/RIGHT OF