TNAG-2598-FCO40-3786-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 39

HONG KONG

BRITISH CHURCHES AND HONG KONG IN 1992

In December 1991 the Council of Churches for Britain and Ireland (CCBI) issued a briefing paper, "Hong Kong and British Responsibility", under the auspices of its Hong Kong Steering Group, on which the Catholic Church in England and Wales is represented. The paper (which is available from CCBI) suggested that in 1992 member-bodies of CCBI should call the attention of Christians in this country to British responsibilities regarding the future of Hong Kong, in consultation with their contacts there. The Bishops' Conference Department for International Affairs, (Chaired by Bishop Patrick Kelly of Salford) decided at its meeting on 28 April to issue the following statement. The notes which follow it are by the Secretary of the Committee for International Justice and Peace, Revd Robert Beresford.

1. The Department for International Affairs of the Bishops' Conference calls the attention of Catholics in England and Wales to the needs of the people of Hong Kong and expresses its own concerns about their rights and welfare.

2. In 1997 Hong Kong with its associated territories will cease to be a colony of Great Britain in accordance with the 1984 agreement between the British and Chinese governments. It is to have the status of a special administrative region of China so that much of its particular character can continue. Until 1997, though Hong Kong has its own government, and the Chinese government can expect to be consulted over important matters with long-term implications, the British government has the ultimate political

Briefing is a documentation and news service published by the Catholic Media Trust.

Editor:

Fr Peter Verity

Associate Editor (Scotland): Fr Tom Connelly

Assistant Editor:

Lucy Howe

Please send documents and news items to:

Catholic Media Office

23 Kensington Square

London W8 5HN Tel: 071 938 2583 Fax: 071 937 4100

Subscriptions:

Sister Mary Bernadette

Redemptoristine Convent

Back Gillmoss Lane

Liverpool L11 0AY. Tel. 051-548 4924.

Additional individual copies are available from the Subscriptions Secretary at £1.10 inc. p&p.

responsibility for the welfare of the people of Hong Kong and their community and political life including the preparation for their future

status.

3. The rule of law

Confidence in the rule of law is essential for the human rights and well-being of the people of Hong Kong. The British and Hong Kong governments have issued a Bill of Rights, and the 1984 agreement with the Chinese government provided that judges could be recruited from other common law jurisdictions after 1997. But the Bill of Rights does not measure up to international standards and guarantees are required that internationally recognised rights will be respected after 1997. Continued efforts by

To take out a one year subscription to Briefing fill in the form below and send it to the Subscriptions Secretary.

Briefing & Signum

Briefing only

United Kingdom

£28

£35

Republic of Ireland

and Europe

£31

£37

Other countries

£37

£44

USA

$63

$75

I enclose a cheque for£/$..

made payable to Catholic Media Trust.

Name........

Address..

..Postcode........