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CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 07090OZ
FM HONG KONG 070452Z DEC 84
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CONFIDENTIAL
HKK 040/57
RECEIVED PEGISTRY
TOP
07 DEC 1984
LESK OFFICER
INDE
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TELEGRAM NUMBER 3730 OF 7 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
YOUR TELNO 2442: PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH IN HONG KONG.
1. WE AGREE THAT IT WOULD BE WORTH EXPANDING THE REFERENCES IN THE SPEECH TO CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE SOME COMMENTS ON THE REDRAFTED VERSION OF OLD PARA 7 IN YOUR TEL UNDER REF:
(A) THE FIFTH SENTENCE SOUNDS SOMEWHAT PATRONISING GIVEN THAT
HONG KONG PEOPLE ALREADY RUN THEIR OWN AFFAIRS TO A CONS | DER- ABLE EXTENT. THE POINT COULD BE COVERED BY ADDING THE FOLLOWING AT THE END OF THE FOURTH SENTENCE: '' HONG KONG PEOPLE TO ASSUME FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR RUNNING OWN AFFAIRS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AGREEMENT''.
THE FIFTH SENTENCE WOULD THEN BE DELETED.
TO ENABLE
THE IR
(B) THE WORDS **WHICH MIGHT HAVE A DESTABILISING EFFECT' AT THE END OF THE SIXTH SENTENCE SEEM UNNECESSARY. WE SHOULD PREFER TO SEE THEM OMITTED.
(C) ALTHOUGH THE POINT IS MORE ARGUABLE, WE THINK THAT THE THIRD
SENTENCE WOULD READ BETTER HERE IF IT CONTAINED A SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT. WE SUGGEST THAT IT BE AMENDED TO READ:
''NOW THAT THE AGREEMENT IS SIGNED, I PLEDGE THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, DIRECTLY AND THROUGH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT, WILL ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO HAVE A STABLE AND RESPONSIVE ADMINISTRATION, GOVERNING THE TERRITORY IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF ITS PEOPLE.''
HADDON-CAVE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
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CONFIDENTIAL