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Reports to UN Human Rights Committee
Following is a question by the Hon Emily Lau and a reply by the Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Michael Suen, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):
Question:
In regard to the British Government's Fourth Periodic Report in respect of Hong Kong submitted under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee and its attendance at the UN hearing on the report, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) how the Government will follow up on the UN Human Rights Committee's
recommendations regarding the report; and
(b) whether the Government will consider requesting the British Government to submit further reports under the ICCPR to the UN Human Rights Committee before July 1997?
Reply:
The United Nations Human Rights Committee examined the United Kingdom Government's fourth periodic report on Hong Kong under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on 19-20 October 1995. The Committee's Concluding Observations were published on 3 November 1995.
(a) The Human Rights Committee's observations covered a wide range of positive aspects and areas of concern. The single most important area raised by the Committee was its clear statement on the importance of the continued application of the ICCPR in Hong Kong and the submission of reports after 1997.
The United Kingdom Government has explained to the Chinese Government how it presently fulfils the reporting obligation and made its views known as to how China could fulfil this obligation after 1997. The United Kingdom Government will continue to work for a satisfactory resolution of this question with China.