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00 WELLINGTON
HKK 040/6
258CP 1934
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SECRET
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GRS 541
SECRET
FM FCO 241755Z SEP 84
TO IMMEDIATE WELLINGTON
TELEGRAM NUMBER 237 OF 24 SEPTEMBER 1984
MIPT: HONG KONG: MESSAGE TO MR LANGE
1. FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE:
BEGINS: AS YOU WILL KNOW FROM YOUR OFFICIALS, WHOM WE HAVE
BRIEFED DURING OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, WE
ARE SET TO INITIAL AN AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG ON
26 SEPTEMBER. THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE HAVE TAKEN TWO
YEARS: THEY HAVE BEEN TOUGH AND DETAILED: BUT I AM GLAD TO SAY
THAT WE NOW HAVE WHAT WE REGARD AS A GOOD. AGREEMENT: OUR HIGH
COMMISSION WILL BE GIVING YOU A COPY OF IT SHORTLY BEFORE IT IS
INITIALLED.
WE HAVE NEGOTIATED AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, LEGALLY
BINDING ON THE TWO PARTIES TO IT. UNDER ITS PROVISIONS, THE
UK WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF
HONG KONG UNTIL 1 JULY 1997. CHINA WILL THEN RESUME SOVEREIGNTY
AND HONG KONG WILL BECOME A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE
PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR A SMOOTH
TRANSITION TO HONG KONG'S NEW STATUS, AND ALSO FOR THE
CONTINUATION OF THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEMS AND
WAY OF LIFE.
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS OUR AIM HAS BEEN
TO SECURE THE BEST POSSIBLE FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH HONG KONG'S
UNIQUE AND HIGHLY DEVELOPED SOCIAL, LEGAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
COULD BE MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED. I BELIEVE THAT THE AGREEMENT
WHICH WE HAVE REACHED PROVIDES FOR SUCH A FRAMEWORK. INEVITABLY
COMPROMISES HAVE BEEN NECESSARY BY BOTH SIDES. BUT THE AGREEMENT
CONTAINS THE KEY FEATURES WHICH WE SET OUT TO SECURE. IT IS
UNEQUIVOCALLY A BINDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT: IT DESCRIBES
WITH SUFFICIENT DETAIL AND CLARITY THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY
WHICH HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY AFTER 1997 AND THE SPECIFIC
1
SECRET
/ ARRANGEMENTS.