VENT MUUSE
נועה
R0/66/88
SPEAKING NOTE
CONFIDENTIAL
Annex A
Handed over to the Chinese side on 28.10.1988
UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE
we wish to raise the subject of the UN Convention against
Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment oF
Punishment. UK was among the first to sign the 1984 Convention.
UK now plans to ratify the Convention on the occasion of the
40th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
which is on 10th December 1988 and wishes that this ratification
apply to its dependent territories.
2.
The British side consider that it would be desirable that
Hong Kong not be excluded from the UK ratification.
This would
demonstrate to the international community Hong Kong's condemnation
of acts of torture and other inhuman and degrading treatment.
Also, the Convention is designed to strengthen the machinery for
ensuring the observance of Article 7 of the international Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, which applies to Hong Kong. There
would therefore be little logic for Hong Kong to be excluded from
the UK's ratification of the Convention. We note that the Government
of the People's Republic of China signed the Convention in
December 1986.
3:
3.
As the application of this Convention will confer new
international rights and oblitations on Hong Kong, and as it is
intended that such international rights and obligations should
continue to apply to Hong Kong after 1997, we are accordingly
consulting the Chinese side under the agreed guidelines for
consultation.
If we hear nothing within 40 days, we will assume
CONFIDENTIAL
/that