TNAG-2119-FCO40-3025-Future-of-Hong-Kong-general-1990 — Page 262

HUMAN RIGHTS

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FCO CONTACT: MRS C M BRITTON, UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT

01-270-2505/

UK Aims

1.

To make clear that the UK regards the abuse of human rights as legitimate matter of international concern, deplores such abuses wherever they occur, and will continue to work, bilaterally, with its European Community partners and through the United Nations and other relevant international organisations, for the protection and promotion of human rights worldwide.

Situations Requiring UK Response

2.

Human rights is unlikely to be an area where the UK will be subject to substantive criticism but the following may be used defensively if needed.

(a)

(b)

Interference in Internal Affairs

Countries with a poor human rights record may complain that the UK's concern for human rights is unwarranted interference in the internal affairs of other sovereign states.

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The delegation should make clear that, while UK foreign policy is based firmly on respect for the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of other sovereign states, fundamental human rights such as those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (proclaimed at the UN General Assembly in 1948) are based on agreed values which transcend national, religious, cultural and ideological frontiers and are internationally accepted. The UN Charter imposes a legal obligation on Member States to work for the promotion of universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Further, a number of human rights instruments, including the two International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, are legally binding on those States which have ratified them (the UK ratified both Covenants in 1976) and, in certain circumstances, give us additional legal standing to raise infringements with other State Parties.

Selectivity

Human rights violations vary enormously in scale and severity from country to country.

We judge such violations by the same standards worldwide. The means by which we

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