HUMAN RIGHTS: UN "MONITORING" POST-1997
A strong plea to Britain to make arrangements before 1997 for effective guarantees to maintain existing human rights in Hong Kong via the UN machinery and human rights covenants (eg
the ICCPR).
Response
The Joint Declaration guarantees that the provisions on the two International Covenant on human rights as applied to Hong Kong will remain in force after 1997. Responsibility for making the necessary practical arrangements lies with the JLG (discussions there are of course confidential).
We have urged China to become a party to the ICCPR.
THE AIRPORT
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The ADPL are keen to see the airport go ahead. They came up with various ideas on financing which were, they said, given the green light by Chen Zuo'er (Deputy Chairman of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office) during their recent visit to Peking: using the SAR Land Fund before 1997: very flexible
interpretation of the MOU to allow borrowing for more than core projects: raising equity by issuing low interest rate bonds to the Hong Kong public.
Response
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Interesting that the Chinese are ready to discuss alternative financing arrangements. We shall be following this
up.
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