TNAG-2617-FCO40-3808-Visit-by-Lord-Caithness--Minister-of-State-for-Foreign-and-C-1992 — Page 49

I write there have been only 4 arrivals this year.

Hong Kong has shown great patience and generosity in bearing the financial burden of the Vietnamese camps. Britain has

helped here as well, with 300 million Hong Kong dollars

towards the cost of building new camps, and (in addition to

our share of the EC contribution), 40 million towards the

international programme to help returning Vietnamese

reintegrate into their communities. This is vital if we are to maintain the programme for returning Vietnamese and thus relieving the pressure on Hong Kong.

There is still much to be done: but at least the trend is

now in the right direction.

Hong Kong and Britain share values as well as interests.

Take the Bill of Rights. Many people in Hong Kong called for a law which would allow ordinary people to take direct

action in the courts if they thought that their civil or political rights had been violated. The Bill of Rights is now on the Statute Book and the laws of Hong Kong are being

adapted where necessary to take account of it.

Democratic values are another example. We are now well on

the way from a wholly appointed LegCo in 1984 to a wholly

elected LegCo by 1997, as laid down in the Joint

Declaration. Looking towards the 1995 LegCo elections, we have 2 principles: we want to see further progress towards

democracy: and want this to be on a basis that can be

sustained beyond 1997. These 2 principles will guide us in

our discussions with the Chinese Government on this issue.

Judicial independence is of crucial importance for Hong

Kong's future success. We are keen to see the Court of

Final Appeal established well before 1997 on a basis that

can continue without interruption beyond then. The agreement reached by the Joint Liaison Group provides a practical way of achieving this, consistent with the Joint

Declaration and Basic Law.

REGAAO/3