TNAG-1890-FCO40-2683-Visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe-and-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretaries-1989 — Page 71

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret

DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)

rights and freedoms after 1997. The Joint Declaration

and the Basic Law provide important assurances about

this. But more could be done.

Accordingly, we and the

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Unclassified

PRIVACY MARKING

Hong Kong Government are considering urgently how to

introduce a Bill of Rights for Hong Kong.

Such a

document would enshrine the fundamental rights and

freedoms currently enjoyed in Hong Kong and would give

clear effect to the International Convenants which

already apply to the Territory.

In Confidence

23. I referred earlier to my determination to do all we

can to safeguard Hong Kong's future in the remaining

years of British administration. In times of doubt and

concern, it is all the more important that the

administration of Hong Kong should be effective and

responsive to the changing requirements and aspirations of the people. I have every confidence in the ability of

the Governor, Sir David Wilson, and his team of

experienced and dedicated officials, to carry out their

important responsibilities.

24. There is no better example of the commitment and

efficiency of the Hong Kong administration than the way

in which they have coped with the formidable burden of

Vietnamese boat people. I pay warm tribute to all those

involved in this thankless task, not least to the

officials of the Correctional Services Department who

have done extraordinarily well within the inevitable

material and manpower constraints.