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help us defend ourselves against charges that we were in breach of our obligations under Articles 6,7 and 10 of the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. But I am not, for the reasons explained in Mr Burrows' minute of 9 September 1982, confident that such arguments would carry much weight, for example, in the Human Rights Committee, were the question to arise there.
5. In any event, Hong Kong should be warned of all the various difficulties, including the legal ones, at this stage. If they continue to believe that such a project is, nevertheless, worth pursuing they should be asked to put some specific and detailed proposals to us for further study. But I am not optimistic that we would be able to square this kind of scheme (no matter how hedged about with conditions and safeguards) with our international legal objections.
Blications.
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D M Edwards Legal Counsellor K159
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