TNAG-1749-FCO40-2468-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1988 — Page 104

1979-05-71

13:37 COI PADIO TECH SERVICES.

PORRIGT SRC HONG KONG PRESS CONFERKICE 31 MAY 1988

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BINDI FUNO (RADIO HONG KONG>:

Sir Geoffrey, yesterday in your luncheon speech, you mentioned that the present draft of the Basic Law virtually contained all the provisions in the Joint Declaration.

The use of the words "virtually all", would that imply that you have already spotted that some of the provisions in the Joint

Declaration were missing in the draft of the Basic Law?

PORRION SECRETARY:

I drew attention in my speech yesterday to various aspects

that had already been identified as requiring further consideration.

There obviously are outstanding areas that need to be examined and

resolved. That is the whole object of the consultative period.

That is why I said in my statement just now that people must make

the most of that consultative period. As I also said in my speech

yasterday, Britain will play its part in that process, because we do

acknowledge and assert our interest in seeing that the Joint

Declaration is faithfully translated into the Basic Law.

QUESTION:

So far, have you spotted any missing provision in the draft?

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