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GOVERNOR'S CLOSEST ADVISERS, WERE KEPT FULLY INFORMED ON THE NEGOTIATIONS AND CONSULTED ON A CONTINUING BASIS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS (UMELCO) PROVIDED INVALUABLE ADVICE TO THE GOVERNOR AND TO MINISTERS ON THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS AND ON THE ATTITUDE OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.
17. AT A NUMBER OF CRUCIAL POINTS IN THE NEGOTIATIONS THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL VISITED LONDON FOR CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND OTHER MINISTERS.
ΤΟ BRITISH MINISTERS ALSO PAID A SERIES OF VISITS TO HONG KONG, CONSULT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND OPINION IN THE TERRITORY. COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS WAS ABLE TO DESCRIBE THE APPROACH OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO THE NEGOTIATIONS IN HIS STATEMENT IN HONG KONG ON 20 APRIL 1984, AND TO FILL IN MORE DETAILS OF THE CONTENT OF THE AGREEMENT IN A FURTHER STATEMENT IN THE TERRITORY ON 1 AUGUST 1984. IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND IN PARTICULAR SINCE THE STATEMENT OF 20 APRIL, NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS IN HONG KONG HAVE MADE SPECIFIC PROPOSALS ON WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN AN EVENTUAL AGREEMENT. THE GOVERNMENT HAS PAID CLOSE ATTENTION TO THESE PROPOSALS WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS RELAYED TO MINISTERS AND TO VIEWS ABOUT THE FUTURE
BY AND THROUGH UMELCO, EXPRESSED THROUGH A VARIETY OF CHANNELS THROUGH DEBATES IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THROUGH THE PRESS, THROUGH INDIVIDUAL COMMUNICATIONS ADDRESSED TO THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT OR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT.
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IN THIS WAY THE
GOVERNMENT HAVE SOUGHT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE IN NEGOTIATING WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT OVER THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY. 18. IN THE SAME WAY THE MAINTENANCE OF CONFIDENTIALITY HAS MADE THE TASK OF CONSULTING PARLIAMENT ON THE NEGOTIATIONS MORE DIFFICULT. DESPITE THIS THERE WERE DEBATES ON HONG KONG IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER 1983 AND IN MAY 1984, AND PART OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE IN MARCH 1984 WAS ALSO DEVOTED TO HONG KONG. MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT HAVE KEPT IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH THE
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