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. In their part the government regard it as a very
satisfactory outcome to the negotiations. We believe that it
provides a sound basis on which a stable and prosperous Hong
Kong can flourish into the next century. I warmly commend it
to the House.
CONFIDENTIAL