THAT ISSUES BETWEEN STATES CAN BE SETTLED BY NEGOTIATION NOT
CONFRONTATION. BOTH PREMIERS MADE THAT PLAIN IN THEIR SPEECHES,
AND ALSO LATER AT THE SUMPTIOUS WELCOMING BANQUET IN MRS.THATCHER'S
HONOUR. IT WAS, TOO, A KEY THEME OF THE WIDE-RANGING TALKS THE
BRITISH VISITOR HAS BEEN HOLDING HERE WITH CHINESE
AND
LEADERS, INCLUDING CHAIRMAN DENG IN HER SPEECH MRS. THATCHER
DESCRIBED THE JOINT DECLARATION AS ' A LANDMARK IN THE LIFE OF THE
TERRITORY, IN THE COURSE OF ANGLO-CHINESE RELATIONS AND IN THE
HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL EDIPLOMACY.'' SHE ADDED:''THE AGREEMENT
ESTABLISHES A FIRM BASIS FOR CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG UP TO 1997 AND BEYOND, AND FOR ITS CONTINUED STABILITY, PROSPERITY AND GROWTH.'' SHE
POINTED OUT IT:''FULLY MEETS THE POLITICAL REQUIREMENTS OF BRITAIN
AND CHINA AS WELL AS THE INTERESTS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE''
HAD BEEN WIDELY PRAISED BY OTHER GOVERNMENTS, INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCLES, AND THE UNITED
NATHONS SECRETARY-GENERAL MR. PEREZ DE CUELLAR. PAYING TRIBUTE TO CHINESE LEADERS, SHE EXPLAINED THEIR CONCEPT OF ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' PRESERVING TWO DIFFERENT POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC SYSTEMS WITH IN ONE NATION- HAD NO PRECEDENT. IT OFFERS
AN IMAGINATIVE RESPONSE TO THE SPECIAL HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF
HONG KONG. THE CONCEPT IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW APPARENTLY INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS CAN, AND SHOULD BE, RESOLVED.'' SHE SAID. SHE ALSO PRAISED REPEATED CHINESE PROMISES THAT THE POST 1997 ARRANGEMENTS WERE NOT
MEASURES OF EXPEDIENCY BUT LONG TERM POLICIES TO BE INCORPORATED
POLICIES TO BE INCORPORATED INTO THE TERRITORY'S BASIC LAW AND
PRESERVED INTACT FOR 50 YEARS. FOR ITS PART, BRITAIN WOULD DO ALL
IN ITS POWER TO MAKE THE AGREEMENT A SUCCESS AND WOULD ADMINISTER
HONG KONG UP TO 30 JUNE 1997 (WHEN THE BRITISH LEASE EXPIRES) .'' IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE HIGHEST PRINCIPLES OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION, 11
THE TONE AND CONTENT OF MRS. THATCHER'S ADDRESS WERE SIMILAR TO
TO THAT OF PREMIER ZHAO ZIHANG WHO DECLARED:''OUR AGREEMENT
PROVIDES FRESH EXPERIENCE FOR THE SOLUTION THROUGH PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS OF PROBLEMS THAT ARE LEFT OVER FROM HISTORY. HE ALSO
PRAISED HER VISION AND STATESMANSHIP. HE CONTINUED: IT IS A
COMMON INTEREST AS WELL AS SHARED RESPONSIBILITY OF OUR TWO
COUNTRIES TO ENSURE THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT
DECLARATION FREE FROM ANY INTERFERENCE. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN A SPIRIT OF
GOODWILL AND COOPERATION AND STRIVE TO REALIZE THIS GOAL.
''WE ALSO EXPECT THAT OUR HONG KONG COMPATRIOTS AND INHABITANTS OF
AND INHABITANTS OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE WILL MAKE CONCERTED EFFORTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG AND ITS STILL BETTER FUTURE.'' BOTH LEADERS STRESSED THAT THE HONG KONG AGREEMENT WILL HERALD EVEN CLOSER AND DEEPER SINC-BRITISH RELATIONS. THE TWO COUNTRIES, WHO ARE BOTH PERMANENT MEMBERS OF THE UI. SECURITY COUNCIL, SHARE COLMON OR SIMILAR VIEWS ON MANY INTERNATIONAL ISSUES, AND CAN CLEARLY MAKE A MAJOR CONTRIBITION TO RELAXING INTERNATIONAL TENSION.
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/TWO-WAY!