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that.
But clearly there is a desire both on our part and on the part of
the Chinese Government to talk much more directly and much more closely
than we have been able to in the last year about those types of Hong Kong
issues.
10.
Have they said anything at all which can encourage the people
of Hong Kong to believe that there might be a change of heart as far as
China is concerned towards Hong Kong's democracy or human rights or
anything?
it won't be autonomous It will have
a
high degree It autorony.
(Mr Maude)
There has never been any suggestion that China's attitude
to human rights in Hong Kong is anything other than a proper one. After
all, the Joint Declaration, which was painstakingly negotiated, enshrines
such human rights. The Basic Law, the final draft of which was clearly
drawn up by the Chinese authorities well after the events of Tiananmen
Square, equally enshrines the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights. So I do not think their commitment to those human rights so far as
the Autonomous Government of the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong
is concerned has been in doubt. After all, I know there are those who say
that these are only pieces of paper and post-1997 the Peking Government
could simply sweep them aside, but if that is the intention then it is
rather odd, it seems to me, that they should have used the very great deal
of effort and energy and care they have done in providing very detailed
provisions for the Basic Law which will be operating in Hong Kong after
1997.
11.
I do not think it is the intention to breach these, but that
there are not sufficient safeguards to ensure that, if at any stage their
good intentions lapse, the people of Hong Kong are protected.
You have
been a bit coy about signs which are as encouraging as the signs on human
rights improvements that you were not so coy about.
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