XN000022-1990-06-27 — Page 3

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27, 1990

AG SPEAKS ON BILL OF RIGHTS

* * * *

THE

AND

BILL OF RIGHTS IS A DOCUMENT OF ENORMOUS SIGNIFICANCE ARGUABLY WILL BE THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION EVER TO COME BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR IT DEMONSTRATES HONG KONG'S DETERMINATION TO MAINTAIN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED BASIC REGARDING HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, JEREMY MATHEWS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

STANDARDS THE HON

AND

HAD

HAD то ΤΟ HAD

SPEAKING IN LEGCO THE DEBATE ON A MOTION ON THE BILL OF RIGHTS, MR MATHEWS SAID IN DRAFTING THE BILL THE ADMINISTRATION HAD

OF MEET THE

THE JOINT REQUIREMENTS ACCOMMODATE THE BASIC LAW.

DECLARATION

INTO ACCOUNT

"WE HAVE ALSO HAD TO TAKE

THE INTERNATIONAL ON OBLIGATIONS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT

THEY WERE FULLY CIVIL

RIGHTS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT AND POLITICAL REFLECTED IN THE DRAFT BILL.

MEMBERS OF AND WHICH,

"GIVEN THESE VARIOUS CONSIDERATIONS, IT IS GRATIFYING THEREFORE TO HAVE A DRAFT BILL WHICH IS BROADLY ACCEPTABLE TO MOST THIS COUNCIL AND TO VERY MANY OTHER PEOPLE IN HONG KONG IMPORTANTLY, IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENTS, MATHEWS SAID.

HE RE-STATED THE GOVERNMENT'S POSITION ON TWO MAJOR POINTS.

"FIRST, WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE PRINCIPLE OF ENSURING THAT BILL OF RIGHTS WILL ENDURE BEYOND 1997.

MR

THE

THE

MAKE "THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY INTENTION ON OUR PART TO BILL OF RIGHTS SOME KIND OF RIVAL TO THE BASIC LAW AND, IN PARTICULAR, ITS CHAPTER III.

SATISFIED THAT

"WE

ARE

THERE

BE WILL

NO BETWEEN THE BASIC LAW AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS AFTER 1997, SAID.

||

INCONSISTENCY MR MATHEWS

THE

AND

THE BILL OF RIGHTS WOULD THEN GIVE EFFECT TO ARTICLE 39 OF BASIC LAW WHICH PROVIDED THAT THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL POLITICAL RIGHTS AS APPLIED TO HONG KONG WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGH LAW, HE ADDED.

"SECONDLY,

IT HAS BEEN OF PARTICULAR CONCERN TO US THAT THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS CONTAINED IN THE BILL ADEQUATELY SAFEGUARDED BY LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL

TO ENSURE OF RIGHTS ARE

MEASURES,

MR

MATHEWS SAID.

PATENT NO LAW KONG OF THE APPLIED TO

HONG

THIS, HE SAID, HAD LED TO THE PROPOSAL THAT THE LETTERS BE AMENDED TO INCORPORATE A CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT THAT

IN WHICH

AND FREEDOMS OF PERSONS RESTRICTED THE RIGHTS COULD BE ENACTED IF IT WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS AS HONG KONG.

/"THIS PROPOSAL