Five Eyes alliance condemns postponement of Hong Kong polls
Aug 09, 2020
Washington [US], Aug 9 : Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States on Thursday expressed concern over the Hong Kong government's "unjust" disqualification of candidates and "disproportionate" postponement of Legislative Council elections.
In a joint statement, the foreign secretaries of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom and US State Secretaries, said that the disqualification of candidates and postponement of elections have undermined the democratic process that has been fundamental to Hong Kong's stability and prosperity.
"We the Foreign Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and the United States Secretary of State are gravely concerned by the Hong Kong government's unjust disqualification of candidates and disproportionate postponement of Legislative Council elections," the statement read
"We express deep concern at Beijing's imposition of the new National Security Law, which is eroding the Hong Kong people's fundamental rights and liberties," it added.
Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced on Friday that the Legislative Council elections scheduled for September 6 will be postponed over the COVID-19 threat.
The 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance call on the Hong Kong government to "reinstate the eligibility of disqualified candidates so that the elections can take place in an environment conducive to the exercise of democratic rights and freedoms as enshrined in the Basic Law".
The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
"Beijing promised autonomy and freedoms under the 'One Country, Two Systems' principle to the Hong Kong people in the Sino-British Joint Declaration, a U.N.-registered treaty, and must honor its commitments. We urge the Hong Kong government to hold the elections as soon as possible," the statement said.
