TNAG-1844-FCO40-2619-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 139

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SECRETARY OF STATE'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

Your enquiry is taking place at an important time for Hong Kong. Basic Law drafting process is at a decisive stage.

Obviously right that Parliament should continue to take a close interest in the implementation of the Joint Declaration as it did in the progress of the negotiations and in the Joint Declaration

itself.

Worth reminding ourselves what a remarkable achievement the Joint

Declaration is.

Question in 1984 was not whether Hong Kong would revert to China

but on what terms.

Given that 92% of the territory was due to revert to China by treaty in 1997 without any safeguards, the conclusion of the Joint Declaration was a major achievement: recognised as such at the

time. Extracts from the UK and Hong Kong press are eloquent

testimony to this.

Joint Declaration remains the constant point of reference in all our discussions with the Chinese: everything which we have so far agreed with them about Hong Kong's future is fully consistent with its provisions.

The drafting of the Basic Law is a further important step in the process launched by the signing of the Joint Declaration.

Remarkable that China should now be engaged in producing a constitutional document, so detailed and comprehensive in its scope, in close consultation with the people of Hong Kong.

This is now supplemented by the work of the Joint Liaison Group.

And by the helpful input of Parliament.