GRS 650
CONFIDENTIAL
FM PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
TO DESKBY 18103OZ FCO
TELNO 1855
OF 180923Z DECEMBER 25
INFO DESKBY 18103OZ HONG KONG
4-1.
MIPT: LUNCH WITH ZHOU NAN: SPEECHES
HRR 011/1
TOP COPY
410
JINY
23 DEC 1985
AjB 23
-
1. TEXT OF ZHOU NAN'S SPEECH IN OUR TRANSLATION IS AS FOLLOWS:
BEGINS
YOUR EXCELLENCY SIR RICHARD EVANS, FRIENDS, COMRADES.
1. TODAY MY COLLEAGUES AND MYSELF HAVE GATHERED HERE TOGETHER
WITH YOUR EXCELLENCY AND OTHER BRITISH FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMAL SIGNATURE OF THE
TWO GOVERNMENTS' JOINT DECLARATION ON THE HONG KONG QUESTION. FOR
THOSE OF US WHO WERE OR ARE DIRECTLEY INVOLVED IN THE DRAFTING
OF THE JOINT DECLARARTION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION, THIS IS A PART-
ICULARLY HAPPY OCCASION.
2. THE SIGNATURE OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION IS A MAJOR
EVENT OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. AS PREMIER ZHAO POINTED OUT AT
THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY A YEAR AGO, THE JOINT DECLARATION
SATISFACTORILY RESOLVES THE PROBLEM OF THE RESTORATION TO CHINA
OF THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG AND ALSO PROVIDES A
FIRM BASIS FOR HONG KONG'S LONG TERM PROSPOERITY AND STABILITY.
MOREOVER, IT OFFERS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THE RESOLUTION THROUGH
PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS OF PROBLEMS LEFT OVER FROM HISTORY BETWEEN
ONE COUNTRY AND ANOTHER. AT THAT TIME PRIME MINISTER THATCHER POINTED
OUT THAT THIS DECLARATION WAS A MILESTONE IN THE LIFE OF HONG KONG,
IN THE COURSE OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS, AND IN THE HISTORY OF
INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATICE RELATIONS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
SITUATION A YEAR AFER THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION FULLY
BEARS OUT THE JUDGEMENTS OF THE TWO LEADERS.
3. SINCE THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS SIGNED AND HONG KONG ENTERED THE TRANSITION PERIOD, THE GENERAL SITUATION IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN GOOD. PUBLIC FEELING IN HONG KONG HAS BECOME DAILY MORE STABLE AND THE
ECONOMY HAS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP. THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE TWO
COUNTRIES HAVE CONTINUED TO COOPERATE WELL IN THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE SINO-BRITISH HOINT LIAISON GROUP AND
THE SINO-BRITISH LAND COMMISSION HAVE BEGUN THEIR WORK SMOOTHLY.
AND HAVE ALREADY MADE PROGRESS. THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD START TO THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.
CONFIDENTIAL
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