30.
051077
UNCLASSIFIED
MDLIAN 7543
HK 3301
RECEIVER
•
- 2 MAY 1990
DESK OFFICER
UNCLASSIFIED
FM HONG KONG
TELNO 1415
TO PRIORITY FCO
INDEX
OF 01094OZ MAY 90
STPY
PA
Aurion Taken
INFO ROUTINE HKGO LONDON, PEKING UKREP JLG HONG KONG
INFO ROUTINE HKGO WASHINGTON HKGO NEW YORK, HKGO SAN FRANCISCO INFO ROUTINE HKGO GENEVA, UKMIS GENEVA
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: PRESS COVERAGE: WEEKLY ROUNDUP
SUMMARY
1. NEWS RELATING TO THE 15TH ROUND OF THE JLG TALKS, THE BILL OF RIGHTS AND THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE RECEIVED GOOD MEDIA COVERAGE
DURING THE WEEK.
JLG TALKS
2. THE MEDIA (24-28.4) ACCORDED GOOD COVERAGE TO THE 15TH ROUND OF THE JLG TALKS HELD IN PEKING. THE MEDIA NOTED THAT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA OVER THE QUESTIONS OF NATIONALITY PACKAGE
AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS HAD NOT BEEN SORTED OUT DURING THE TALKS.
3. SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE END OF THE TALKS, SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CHINESE TEAM GUO FENGMIN SAID THAT CHINA REGRETTED BRITAIN'S MOVE TO UNILATERALLY INTRODUCE THE NATIONALITY PACKAGE AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS WITHOUT CONSULTING IT. GUO SAID THAT SUCH A MOVE HAD BREACHED BOTH SIDES' MEMORANDA EXCHANGED DURING THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. MOREOVER, THE PACKAGE WAS DIVISIVE AND NOT CONDUCIVE TO HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. CHINA WOULD RESERVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE CORRESPONDING MEASURES.
4. ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS, GUO MADE IT CLEAR THAT CHINA BELIEVED THAT HUMAN RIGHTS SHOULD BE SAFEGUARDED IN HONG KONG AND THAT SUCH PROVISIONS HAD ALREADY BEEN PROVIDED FOR IN CHAPTER THREE OF THE BASIC LAW. HE SAID THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BELIEVED THAT THE ENACTMENT OF A BILL OF RIGHTS IN HONG KONG WOULD CREATE MANY PROBLEMS. GUO SAID THAT IN THE RUN-UP TO 1997, THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SHOULD HAVE CLOSER CONSULTATIONS AT THE JLG ON QUESTIONS
RELATED TO THE SMOOTH TRANSFER OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG AND ON MAJOR ISSUES CONCERNING THEIR CONVERGENCE WITH THE BASIC
LAW. BUT HE DENIED ACCUSATIONS THAT THE CHINESE SIDE WAS
INTERFERING WITH HONG KONG AFFAIRS.
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UNCLASSIFIED