CONFIDENTIAL
3394
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BEGAN FOLLOWING THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO PEKING IN SEPTEMBER 1982. IT WAS THE FACT THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES, WHICH MAKE UP 92 PERCENT OF THE LAND AREA OF HONG KONG, ARE SUBJECT TO A LEASE WHICH EXPIRES ON 30 JUNE 1997 WHICH LAY BEHIND HER MAJESTY'S
GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE
GOVERNMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.
AFTER TWENTY TWO FORMAL ROUNDS OF TALKS AND TWO VISITS BY SIR
GEOFFREY HOWE TO PEKING THE AGREEMENT WAS INITIALLED IN PEKING ON
26 SEPTEMBER 1984. IT WAS PUBLISHED IN DRAFT AS A WHITE PAPER IN
LONDON AND HONG KONG AND WIDELY CIRCULATED. THE PEOPLE OF HONG
KONG WERE GIVEN A FULL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE
AGREEMENT TO AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE ESTABLISHED IN THE TERRITORY.
THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE REPORTED ON 23 NOVEMBER THAT MOST OF THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOUND THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE. THIS
CONCLUSION WAS ENDORSED BY THE INDEPENDENT TEAM OF MONITORS
APPOINTED BY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE TO OVERSEE THE WORK OF THE
ASSESSMENT OFFICE. BOTH REPORTS WERE PUBLISHED IN A WHITE PAPER
ON 29 NOVEMBER.
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATED THE AGREEMENT, IN THE LIGHT OF THESE REPORTS, ON 5 DECEMBER 1984, AND ENDORSED WITHOUT DIVISION THE
GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. THE HOUSE OF LORD
EXPRESSED THE SAME VIEW ON 10 DECEMBER. THE PRIME MINISTER,
ACCOMPANIED BY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, VISITED PEKING AND SIGNED THE
AGREEMENT ON 19 DECEMBER. THEY THEN VISITED HONG KONG.
BOTH SIDES WILL NOW MOVE TOWARDS BRINGING THE AGREEMENT INTO
FORCE. AS PART OF THAT PROCESS THE BRITISH SIDE NEEDS TO ENACT
LEGISLATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RATIFY THE AGREEMENT BEFORE 30
JUNE 1985, AS PROVIDED FOR IN PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE JOINT
DECLARATION.
THE HONG KONG BILL PROVIDES FOR THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH
SOVEREIGNTY AND JURISDICTION WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997. IT
ACCORDS DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE FIVE CHINESE
MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHO WILL ATTEND MEETINGS OF
THE GROUP IN LONDON. THE BILL ALSO ENABLES SUBSEQUENT ORDERS IN
COUNCIL TO DEAL WITH CHANGES IN BRITISH NATIONALITY LAWS AND TO
MAKE THE SORT OF AMENDMENTS TO BRITISH LAWS WHICH ARE USUALLY
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CONFIDENTIAL