【英外交副部長回應港府修訂引渡條文 聲稱香港立法不宜作評論？】
就著港府修訂引渡條文，素來關心香港議題的英國上議院議員奧爾頓勛爵（Lord Alton of Liverpool）早前撰寫了書面質詢，關注英國政府對修例取態及有否違反《中英聯合聲明》。
想不到英國外交部副部長阿瑪德（Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon）竟回覆表示：「英國政府留意到香港政府計劃修訂引渡條例，公眾諮詢將於下月底結束，我們在立法過程不適宜作評論。」
實情是，香港保安局局長李家超早就明言拒絕進行諮詢，只在網站列明公眾可在不遲於三月四日提交意見，真的不能得知英國政府所謂「港府公眾諮詢至下月底」的說法從何而來，根本與事實不符。
至於英國外交部副部長表示「立法過程不適宜作評論」更是難以理解，翻查資料早見英國政府在痛陳廿三條立法的弊處。既然官員當年可以直斥香港本地立法充斥魔鬼細節，只說明英國當局作為《中英聯合聲明》的簽署國，根本有位置與責任監察香港高度自治的狀況。
無論如何，既然本地商界、台灣政界及美國領事與商會相繼表達憂慮甚至反對，我亦希望英政府重拾當年看待廿三條立法的認真態度，，審慎檢視引渡條文修訂的禍害，莫縱容港府通過這條可以引渡在港英國公民到中國受審的修例通過。
https://www.parliament.uk/…/writt…/Lords/2019-02-20/HL13897/
While it is admirable for UK MPs such as Catherine West MP and Lord David Alton to raise their concerns regarding amendments to Hong Kong’s extradition law, the responses from Minister of State Mark Field seemed to be riddled with misconceptions - first and foremost, Hong Kong Secretary of State John Lee made it very clear that there has not been nor will there be any public consultations for the amendments. What the government has done on its website was to ask for the public to submit their “views”, which is a far cry from a formal consultation.
It is a one-way one-step process on which the government is not liable to take any action. Public consultation, on the other hand, would be a three-step two-way process, which norm would also include civil society in the drafting of the legislation. Furthermore, the deadline for this process was actually on 4th March, and not the end of the month. We hope that this clears up a few common misconceptions, and look forward to the British government’s views on the matter.
Hong Kong Watch
#撤回中國引渡條文
#眾志國際連結
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