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CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG/CHINA RELATIONS
- Still much tension with China over Hong Kong following 4 June.
We
are keen to end public airing of differences and get back to private
exchanges.
-
There are vital issues over Hong Kong on which we must maintain
serious contact with Chinese.
Visits to Peking by Sir P Cradock and Sir D Wilson have helped.
- But Chinese public denounciation of our assurances scheme has
again given impression of major row.
Clear that next few months will require careful handling. But
Chinese must realise it is in their interests as well as ours to
resolve Hong Kong issues satisfactorily.
Hope JLG XV in April will mark further steps in return to more
cooperative relationship.
BILL OF RIGHTS
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Joint Declaration provides for two UN Covenants to remain in force in Hong Kong after 1997. No dispute with Chinese over this. Draft
Basic Law I flects it.
Bill of Rights is simply changing the way in which the rights in one of those Covenants are implemented in Hong Kong. Do not expect
major difficulty with Chinese over this. Our intention is that Bill
should be consistent with Covenants, JD and Basic Law. That is also
Chinese concern.
MAXAEW
CONFIDENTIAL
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