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OO PEKING
GRS 1020
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 131112Z DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 040/57
6383
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17 DEC 1984
371
EGISTRY
Action Taken
370
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1547 OF 13 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MIPT: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO PEKING: SPEECHES
1.
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER AT THE
SIGNATURE CEREMONY :
BEGINS:
1. YOUR EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT LI XIANNIAN, YOUR EXCELLENCY PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. 2. THIS IS AN HISTORIC OCCASION. THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG, WHICH WE HAVE JUST SIGNED ON BEHALF OF OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS, IS A LANDMARK IN THE LIFE OF THE TERRITORY: IN
THE COURSE OF ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS: AND IN THE HISTORY OF
INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY. THE AGREEMENT ESTABLISHES A FIRM BASIS
FOR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND, AND FOR ITS
CONTINUED STABILITY, PROSPERITY AND GROWTH.
AT MY
3. I REMEMBER WITH PLEASURE MY LAST VISIT TO CHINA IN SEPTEMBER 1982 AND MY DISCUSSIONS WITH CHINESE LEADERS.
MEETING WITH CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING ON THAT OCCASION WE AGREED TO
OPEN TALKS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. OUR COMMON AIM WAS TO
MAINTAIN THE TERRITORY'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. IT IS IN A
SPIRIT OF PRIDE AND OPTIMISM ABOUT THE FUTURE THAT I NOW RETURN
TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT WHICH IS THE RESULT OF THOSE TALKS.
4. I THINK YOU WILL AGREE THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE NOT ALWAYS
EASY. AT CERTAIN POINTS THERE WERE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO BE
MADE ON BOTH SIDES. THERE WERE MOMENTS OF TENSION. TO OVERCOME
THESE DIFFICULTIES WE NEEDED TO DRAW ON A SHARED FUND OF
GOODWILL: ON FRIENDSHIP: AND ON A COMMON COMMITMENT TO HONG
KONG'S FUTURE. THIS WAS WHAT MADE SUCCESS POSSIBLE. I SHOULD
LIKE TO PAY TRIBUTE TO THE DEDICATION OF THE TWO NEGOTIATING
TEAMS AND ALL THEIR SUPPORTING PERSONNEL, UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF
SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND STATE COUNCILLOR AND FOREIGN MINISTER
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CONFIDENTIAL