OPENING SPEECH
Introduction
SECRETARY OF STATE'S MEETING WITH HIGH
COMMISSIONERS: WEDNESDAY 21 NOVEMBER 1984
SPEAKING NOTES
1.
Very glad once again to welcome you here. Since your last meeting of this kind on 17 May 1984, we have witnessed death by assassination of Mrs Gandhi. I want here to repeat the profound
shock we all feel at the cruel and tragic loss of a great leade
of a far-sighted world statesman. As I said in the House of Com.ok. on 6 November, HMG and the British people totally condemn this heinous act and the tiny minority of people living here who have sought to exploit, and still more shocking, to rejoice at, this evil
deed. It is India's, the Commonwealth's and the world's loss.
HONG KONG
No!
2.
Sino-British agreement initialled in Peking on 26 September
after two years of intensive negotiations. Aim was to end uncertainty generated by 1997 deadline when our lease on New Territories due to expire.
3. Common aim was maintenance of Hong Kong's stability and prosperity in form acceptable to Parliament, China and people of
Hong Kong.
4. As it became clear China would not accept continued British
administration and link after 1997, we concentrated on China's it..
for Hong Kong as Special Administrative Region (SAR), enjoying considerable autonomy and functioning essentially as
/5.