TNAG-2715-FCO40-3921-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1993 — Page 71

PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY, 12 OCTOBER 1223 AT 3:00 PM

MR HOWELL:

GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU. THIS IS NOW THE END OF OUR BRIEF VISIT BY THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS TO HONG KONG. WE ARE A COMMITTEE THAT PREPARES REPORTS TO PARLIAMENT AND THEREFORE WE ARE IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY AND WE LIKE TO CONSIDER OUR CONCLUSIONS VERY, VERY CAREFULLY INDEED BEFORE WE MAKE OUR FINAL REPORTS, AND INDEED THERE ARE SEVERAL HEARINGS AND SESSIONS AHEAD BEFORE WE DO SO. SO THIS AFTERNOON NEITHER I NOR MY COLLEAGUES CAN GIVE YOU FIRM CONCLUSIONS ON THE SITUATION AS WE SEE IT IN HONG KONG, OR INDEED AS WE HAVE SEEN IT IN BEIJING AND OTHER CITIES OF CHINA WHICH WE HAVE VISITED. WE CAN, AND WE WILL TRY, TO GIVE YOU IMPRESSIONS, BUT NOT CONCLUSIONS, AND THAT IS NOT EITHER OUR PRACTICE NOR ARE WE IN A POSITION TO DO THAT.

AS TO IMPRESSIONS, JUST LET ME REMIND YOU THAT WHEN THE PREDECESSOR TO THIS COMMITTEE, THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF 1989, VISITED HONG KONG, WE SUBSEQUENTLY PRODUCED A REPORT WHICH MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS, SOME OF WHICH WERE ACCEPTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, SOME OF WHICH WERE NOT. ONE THAT WAS NOT, WAS OUR VIEWS ABOUT THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS WHERE WE SUPPORTED, INDEED WENT EVEN FURTHER THAN THE THEN SO CALLED OMELCO CONSENSUS, AND WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE SEEN SOME CHANGES IN THE ACCELERATED DEMOCRATIC DIRECTION EARLY IN THE NINETIES OR SOON AFTER THE TIANANMEN SQUARE HORROR. BUT THAT WAS NOT TO BE.

J

ON THE OTHER HAND, OUR PROPOSALS CONCERNING THE BILL OF RIGHTS WAS OF COURSE ADOPTED AND THERE IS NOW A BILL OF RIGHTS. AND WE URGED A NATIONALITY A PASSPORT PACKAGE AND A PACKAGE OF A CERTAIN KIND WAS PRODUCED AND HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, I THINK WITH SOME SUCCESS.

SO THAT IS OUR CREDENTIAL, IF YOU LIKE, ON MATTERS OF DEMOCRATIC REFORM AND POLITICAL REFORM AND THEREFORE IT IS NATURAL THAT AS A COMMITTEE WE REGARD WITH SYMPATHY THE PROPOSALS AND POLICIES WHICH NOW SEEK TO TAKE DEMOCRATIC REFORM FORWARD SENSIBLY AND IN A BALANCED WAY AND WISH TO COMBINE THAT WITH WHAT EVERYONE, ALMOST EVERYONE, WE MEET HAS TOLD US THEY WANT ALSO TO SEE A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PRC FOR A PROSPEROUS AND STABLE FUTURE FOR HONG KONG. THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AT WESTMINSTER AS WELL. SO AGREEMENT, YES, BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT AGREEMENT AT ANY PRICE, AND AGREEMENT CONSISTENT WITH THE KIND OF ADVANCE IN DEMOCRACY THAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS SUPPORTED IN THE PAST AND WHICH IS REFLECTED IN CURRENT PROPOSALS.

NOW THAT IS REALLY ALL I INTEND TO SAY, EXCEPT THIS, THAT AGAIN AND AGAIN WHILE WE WERE IN CHINA, AND IN SOME CASES HERE, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SOME PEOPLE THAT THE CURRENT REFORM PACKAGE CONTRAVENES AND BREAKS THE BASIC LAW, THE JOINT ACCORD, THE EXCHANGE BETWEEN FOREIGN MINISTERS IN THEIR LETTERS AND SO ON. WE HAVE HEARD THE VIEWS ON THAT, OF COURSE WE SHALL CONSIDER THESE MATTERS BUT WE REALLY, I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY, DON'T HAVE ANY REASON TO CONCLUDE THAT THAT IS CORRECT. IT SEEMS

1