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Views invited on UN treaty
The Government has invited the views of the Legislative Council, non- government organisations and other interested parties on the 14th periodic report on Hong Kong under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).
In March this year, the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination considered the 13th periodic report on Hong Kong under the ICERD. In its concluding observations, the committee recommended that the 14th periodic report, due this year, be submitted as an updating report. The United Kingdom Government aims to submit the report to the United Nations by August. The Hong Kong Government's contribution will form part of that report.
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In 1994, the Government undertook that before submitting to the UK Government its contributions to the latter's reports under the various human rights treaties - it would give the Legislative Council, non-government organisations and other interested parties a formal opportunity to express their views on the state of implementation of each particular treaty in Hong Kong.
Accordingly, letters were issued to the Legislative Council Secretariat today (Tuesday), inviting views in respect of the 14th report, a government spokesman said.
"To enable the Government to take into account views expressed during the drafting of its contribution to the UK Government's report and to meet the deadline for submission to the United Nations for the hearing in March 1997, comments will need to reach the Home Affairs Branch by June 14.
"To facilitate comments, the Government has prepared an outline of topics which it intends to include in the draft report. The outline also includes an annex containing the committee's recommendations in respect of Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
Non-government organisations or individuals who would like to express their views can write to the Secretary for Home Affairs before June 14.
Copies of the outline of the draft report can be obtained from the Home Affairs Branch, 31st floor, Southorn Centre, Wan Chai on request and are also available at the Marketing Office of the Information Services Department, 17th floor, Siu On Centre, 176-192 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai.
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