TNAG-1752-FCO40-2472-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1988 — Page 63

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Inclusion of International Human Rights Covenants?

Article 156 of the Joint Declaration records the British and Chinese Governments' agreement that "The provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as

applied to Hong Kong shall remain in force". Although I cannot

comment on the detailed provisions of the Basic Law until the text is published in May, I have no doubt that it is the intention of the

Chinese Government to ensure that the Basic Law will enshrine the rights at present enjoyed in Hong Kong.

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