UNCLASSIFIED
DESK BY 2700302
FM OTTAWA 26200OZ SEPT 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 01 OF 26 SEPTEMBER
AND TO IMMEDIATE FCO
11
MKK040/6
1 CCT 1984
TOP
COPY
INFO IMMEDIATE TO UKMIS NEW YORK (FOR PRIVATE SECRETARY)
FUTURE OF HONG KONG
1.
FOLLOWING STATEMENT WAS RELEASED BY EXTERNAL AFFAIRS AT
4.30 P.M. LOCAL TIME (203OZ) TODAY
BEGINS
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE JOE CLARK, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, TODAY WARMLY WELCOMED THE INITIALLING OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG NEGOTIATED BY THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. BOTH SIDES, HE SAID, ARE TO BE CONGRATULATED FOR THEIR SKILL IN HAMMERING OUT THIS DOCUMENT OVER TWO YEARS OF COMPLEX DISCUSSION.
MR CLARK ADDED THAT HE HAD HAD AN ENCOURAGING TALK
WITH PRC FOREIGN MINISTER WU XUEQIAN ON MONDAY REGARDING THE AGREEMENT, AND HAD ALSO RECEIVED A VERY POSITIVE PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE.
AS ANNOUNCED BY PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER AND PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG IN SEPTEMBER 1982, THE PURPOSE OF THE AGREEMENT IS TO ENSURE THE CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG.
THE PRESENT AGREEMENT IS DESIGNED TO GUARANTEE THE ESSENTIAL
ELEMENTS OF HONG KONG SYSTEMS AND WAY OF LIFE FOR FIFTY YEARS AFTER
1997.
MR CLARK SAID THAT HE HOPED THIS AGREEMENT WOULD GREATLY REASSURE
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND THEIR THOUSANDS OF FRIENDS AND RELATIVES
IN CANADA WHO HAVE UNDERSTANDABLY BEEN APPREHENSIVE OVER THE
UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING HONG KONG'S FUTURE. HE ALSO RECALLED WITH PARTICULAR RESPECT THE SACRIFICES OF CANADIANS WHO PARTICIPATED
IN THE DEFENCE OF HONG KONG IN 1941.
-1-
/ CANADA.
140)