Blair: grateful for world's support

"We have a deep moral responsibility to Hong Kong"

World Leaders Back Britain on Hong Kong

World leaders have pledged to support Britain's efforts to prevent China stifling democracy in Hong Kong.

At the G7 summit of industrialised nations in America, the Foreign Secretary, Robin Cook said Tony Blair had secured the support of many heads of state in his efforts to ensure China keeps to its commitment to preserve democracy in the colony after June 30.

China is due to take control of Hong Kong on July 1 and Britain is pressing for it to stick to a commitment to hold democratic, free and fair elections for a new legislative council within 12 months.

At a news conference after the Denver summit, Mr Blair expressed his thanks to other summit leaders, especially President Clinton, for their backing for Britain's position on Hong Kong.

Asked if he would use trade sanctions or threaten to block Chinese membership of the World Trade Organisation if they did not stick to their agreement, Mr Blair said there were two key factors:

• China had to adhere to the 1984 Joint Declaration between China and Britain
• There had to be a sound and stable relationship between Britain and China

Mr Blair added that it was important Britain had mobilised international support for its position on Hong Kong.

During an interview with ABC TV's This Week programme over what Britain would do if China spurned its obligations, Mr Blair revealed he has a Hong Kong Chinese sister-in-law with family in Hong Kong, and added that if China did not adhere to international obligations "we have obviously then got to look at ways of mobilizing international opinion to make sure that they do".

Earlier, Mr Cook told Sky TV's Sunday programme: "I had a very full discussion with the foreign ministers and Mr Blair discussed it with many of the other world leaders.We do have total support from all the countries that are there that China must fulfil the terms of the joint declaration which it signed with Britain and we have a lot of allies around the world on that issue."

The Foreign Secretary said all the foreign ministers he had spoken to believed strongly that China had to stick to its commitment to democracy in the colony.