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Government response to enquiries on Joint Declaration
In response to press enquiries about the role of the British Government in monitoring the implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration after July 1, 1997, a Government House spokesman said:
"The Joint Declaration is a binding international treaty registered with the United Nations. It contains solemn commitments by China to Britain that Hong Kong will be run according to the One Country Two Systems formula at least until 2047.
"It provides, for example, for the continuing existence of the Joint Liaison Group until January 1, 2000 to conduct consultations on the implementation of the Joint Declaration. Such consultations will be meaningless unless Britain was monitoring the implementation of the treaty.
"For all these reasons, any suggestion that Britain has no right to do so is therefore extraordinary."
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