TNAG-1852-FCO40-2627-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 56

the draft Basic Law (paragraphs 2.3, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8,

2.12 and 2.14). The Joint Declaration provides that the

basic policies of the People's Republic of China

regarding Hong Kong as stated in the Joint Declaration

will be stipulated in the Basic Law. The Government have

a legitimate right, as joint signatories to the Joint

Declaration, to require that it should do so fully. The

Basic Law will establish the basis for Hong Kong's future

for at least 50 years after 1997. It will crucially

affect the way in which Hong Kong people view the future

and their commitment to the territory. It is therefore

of the greatest importance that the drafting of the Basic

Hurtur Law should take full account of the concerns of Hong Kong

people and that the final version should be in a form

which commands their confidence and enjoys the widest

possible support in the territory. We have made our

views on these matters known to the Chinese Government

through a number of channels: but the Committee will

understand

readily appreciate that if these representations are to

be effective, it is essential that their confidentiality Munt

should be respected. The Committee will therefore

no

understand why the Government cannot make any detailed

Specific

observations on the Committee's recommendations on these

matters at this stage.

7.

The Committee recommends (paragraph 2.9) that the

Hong Kong Government should begin work on a review of

existing Hong Kong legislation to identify areas which

might be seen as conflicting in some way with the

International Covenants on Human Rights. This work is

new unde

underway. The Committee will be aware that the