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For the
It is of course Parliament which must make the final decision.
Government's part I can assure the House that we are very much aware of the
. importance of getting the right agreement. We are not simply seeking
agreement for its own sake or at any price, nor would we be prepared to
recommend a package which we believe would be regarded as inadequate.
4907.
Let me sum up the position. I came away from Peking satisfied that a
good deal of progress had been made, but also aware that some major points
still needed to be resolved. There is in my view a determination on both
sides to bring our work to a successful conclusion. But a complex and
challenging stage in the negotiations still lies ahead and we have some way
to go before concluding an agreement. Our aim is clear: a binding agreement.
which will ensure a high degree of continuity for Hong Kong under Chinese
sovereignty which will preserve the essentials of the present systems and
in
way of life in Hong Kong, and which will be acceptable to the people of
Hong Kong, it must also be one which we can honourably commend to this House.
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