TNAG-2745-FCO40-3960-Visits-by-the-Executive-Council-of-Hong-Kong-(EXCO)-and-Legi-1993 — Page 61

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CALL ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE BY EMILY LAU, CHRISTINE LOH AND

DR LEONG (26 JANUARY)

HUMAN RIGHTS

Chinese Accession to the International Covenant of Civil &

Political Rights (ICCPR)

-

- Share your view on need to safeguard human rights in

Hong Kong after 1997.

The Joint Declaration requires that the ICCPR will

remain in force in Hong Kong after 1997. In same

category as other International Treaties which have been

applied to Hong Kong and which we have agreed with the Chinese in the Joint Liaison Group should apply to Hong Kong after 1997 (even if China is not a party).

We are discussing with the Chinese the mechanisms for

this. If the Chinese remain unwilling to accede to the

ICCPR we will need to explore with them how Hong Kong

Special Administrative Region could do so.

We have urged the Chinese to accede to the ICCPR most

recently last September, when the Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen met the Troika of EC Foreign

Ministers.

Article XIX Report on Freedom of the Press - if raised

Freedom of the press is something that we and the Hong Kong Government take very seriously.

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