SECRET
1:
18900
1
SUBJECTS ON WHICH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HOLD COMMON VIEW-POINTS. WE ALSO CONFIRMED THE EXCELLENT STATE OF OUR BILATERAL RELATIONS. HOWEVER, BY FAR THE GREATEST PART OF THE TALKS WERE SPENT IN SERIOUS AND DETAILED DISCUSSION ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. MY AIM WAS TO SUM UP THE COURSE OF NEGOTIATIONS SO FAR AND TO GIVE THEM A NEW IMPETUS. THE MEETINGS WERE BUSINESS LIKE AND THE ATMOSPHERE WAS INVARIABLY
GOOD.
4. I CAME AWAY FROM PEKING SATISIFIED THAT MUCH PROGRESS HAD BEEN MADE, BUT ALSO AWARE THAT SOME MAJOR POINTS STILL NEEDED TO BE RESOLVED. AN IMPORTANT PHASE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS STILL LIES AHEAD, AND WE STILL HAVE SOME WAY TO GO BEFORE CONCLUDING AN AGREEMENT. THE FOCUS OF DISCUSSION HAS NOW MOVED BACK TO THE REGULAR ROUNDS OF NEGOTIATIONS IN PEKING, WHICH CONTINUE THEIR
USEFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE COURSE.
5. FROM PEKING I FLEW ON TO HONG KONG. BETWEEN 18 AND 20 APRIL I HELD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR AND WITH THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, I ALSO MET REPRESENTATIVES OF A WIDE RANGE OF LOCAL OPINION INCLUDING ELECTED AND APPOINTED MEMBERS OF THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE DISTRICT BOARDS. ON 20 APRIL I MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT IS APPROACHING THE PRESENT NEGOCIATION ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. COPIES OF THIS STATEMENT HAVE BEEN DEPOSITED
IN THE LIBRARY OF THE HOUSE.
6.
IN MY STATEMENT I FELT IT WAS RIGHT TO SAY THAT IN MY VIEW IT WOULD NOT BE REALISTIC TO THINK OF AN AGREEMENT THAT PROVIDED FOR CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. IN REACHING THIS CONCLUSION WE WERE FULLY AWARE OF THE WISH OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE FOR THE MAXIMUM CONTINUITY IN EVERY RESPECT. I CAN ASSURE THE HOUSE THAT WE IMPRESSED THIS ON THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT VERY STRONGLY. WE EXPLAINED IN DETAIL THE ADVANTAGES OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM AND FOUGHT VERY HARD FOR ITS RETENTION OVER
A LONG PERIOD. WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THIS WAS NOT A FEASIBLE OPTION, WE CONCLUDED THAT WE SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON OTHER WAYS OF SECURING THE ASSURANCES NECESSARY FOR THE CONTINUITY OF HONG KONG'S STABILITY, PROSPERITY AND WAY OF LIFE.
2
SECRET
•