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DD HONG KONG DESKBY 112330Z
GRS 1200
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DESKBY 112330Z
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MKKO 40/16
FM FCO 111630Z MAY 84
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INGA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 868 OF 11 MAY
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
14 MAY 1984
18897
PY
♪ CHILD
MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: MATERIAL FOR MR LUCE'S SPEECH
DEBATE ON HONG KONG 16 MAY 1984
1. I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO ALL THOSE HONOURABLE MEMBERS WHO HAVE
CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEBATE THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED A CONCERN FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG THAT WILL, I AM SURE, BE MUCH APPRECIATED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE TERITORY. HONG KONG HAS NO REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS HOUSE, BUT TONIGHT'S DEBATE HAS SHOWN CLEARLY THAT IT
DOES NOT LACK FRIENDS HERE.
2. WHEN HE OPENED THE DEBATE MY RIGHT HONOURABLE AND LEARNED
FRIEND OUTLINED THE APPROACH THAT HMG HAVE BEEN TAKING IN OUR
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. IN THE LIGHT OF THE ISSUES RAISED DURING THE DEBATE, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS ON THIS THAT I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE. FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS NO BASIS FOR THE CHARGE THAT HMG HAVE SOLD OUT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THEIR INTERESTS HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN AT THE
FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING AND WILL CONTINUE TO
TRY THROUGHOUT THE TALKS TO OBTAIN A DEAL FOR HONG KONG THAT WILL
EFFECTIVELY PRESERVE ITS PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. HMG HAS
ALWAYS STATED CLEARLY THAT ITS AIM IN THE NEGOTIATIONS IS TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG
AS WELL AS TO THIS HOUSE AND THE CHINES GOVERNMENT. BUT ALL
THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS
AND THOSE WHO GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THEM
PROBLEM POSED BY HONG KONG IN A SENSE OF REALISM. THERE IS NO PRECEDENT, NO PARALLEL FOR THE HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, A TERRITORY 92 PERCENT OF WHICH IS
COVERED BY A LEASE EXPIRING IN 1997.
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THOSE WHO CONDUCT THEM
MUST APPROACH THE UNIQUE
3. THIS BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER CHARGE THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG
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