CONFIDENTIAL
29. My Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister and My
Right Honourable and Learned Friend the Foreign and
Commonwealth Secretary plan to travel to Peking later this
month for the signature of the agreement. They will also visit Hong Kong. Following signature the government will bring forward legislation early in 1985 to provide for the
termination of sovereignty in 1997 and to provide powers to make other necessary changes to the law in connection with
it.
30. I look forward to hearing your Lordships' views on this agreement. For their part the government regard it as a very satisfactory outcome to the negotiations. We believe that i t provides a sound basis on which a stable and prosperous Hong
Kong can flourish into the next
into the next century. I warmly commend it
to the House.
CONFIDENTIAL