:
OO OTTAWA
GRS 491
SECRET
НИК
VEIVED U
04016
REGIST
2.5 SEP 1964
AL JISTRY Action Taken
GRY/W0
SECRET
5170
-
1
FM FCO 241632Z SEP 84
TO IMMEDIATE OTTAWA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 242 OF 24 SEPTEMBER 1984
(130) MIPT:
1.
HONG KONG: MESSAGE TO MR CLARK
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE:
BEGINS: AS YOU WILL KNOW, WE HAVE KEPT SENIOR OFFICIALS OF YOUR
DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS REGULARLY INFORMED ABOUT
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SINO-BRITISH TALKS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
AFTER TWO YEARS OF INTENSIVE NEGOTIATIONS WE ARE SET TO INITIAL
ON 26 SEPTEMBER AN AGREEMENT ENSHRINING, IN A FORM LEGALLY
BINDING IN BOTH GOVERNMENTS, THE ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WILL PREVAIL
IN HONG KONG FOR 50 YEARS AFTER 1997. I WISHED, THEREFORE, TO
WRITE TO YOU PERSONALLY TO SET OUT THE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE
AGREEMENT AND TO LET YOU HAVE MY VIEWS UPON IT.
THE ESSENTIAL PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT ARE THAT THE UK
WILL CONTINUE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG
KONG UNTIL 1 JULY 1997, WHEN CHINA WILL 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 THAT NEW STATUS, AND FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF HONG KONG'S SYSTEMS AND WAY OF LIFE.
THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT, OUR OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN TO SECURE THE BEST POSSIBLE
FRAMEWORK OF ARRANGEMENTS WITHIN WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN
CONTINUE TO PLAN PEACEFULLY AND WITH CONFIDENCE FOR THEIR FUTURE,
AND IN WHICH HONG KONG'S HIGHLY DEVELOPED SYSTEMS PARTICULARLY
IN THE ECONOMIC AND TRADING FIELDS, CAN BE MAINTAINED AND
DEVELOPED. I BELIEVE THAT THE AGREEMENT WHICH WE HAVE NEGOTIATED
WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT PROVIDES THAT FRAMEWORK. INEVITABLY,
AS WITH ANY INTERNATIONAL NEGOTIATION, COMPROMISES HAVE HAD TO
BE MADE BY BOTH SIDES DURING THE JOINT EFFORT TO BRING THE
NEGOTIATIONS TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION. BUT THE AGREEMENT
CONTAINS THE KEY FEATURES WHICH WE SET OUT TO SECURE. IT IS
1
SECRET
(131)
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