GR 400
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 21074OZ MAY 85
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON TELEGRAM NUMBER 431 OF 21 MAY
116
HKK 040912
22 MAY 1985
AND TO PRIORITY BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, CG NEW YORK INFO PRIORITY FCO
FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES
HKG/GT/90: RATIFICATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
1. THE FOLLOWING PRESS STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN LONDON AND PEKING AT 0900 HOURS GMT ON 21 MAY:
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''IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, SIGNED BY PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER AND PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG IN BEIJING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAVE DECIDED THAT INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION WILL BE EXCHANGED IN BEIJING ON 27 MAY 1985.''
BACKGROUND
2. PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION STIPULATES THAT THE JOINT DECLARATION IS SUBJECT TO RATIFICATION AND SHALL ENTER INTO FORCE WHICH ON THE DATE OF THE EXCHANGE OF INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION, SHALL TAKE PLACE IN BEIJING BEFORE 30 JUNE 1985..
3. THE EXCHANGE OF INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION WILL BE CONDUCTED BY HM AMBASSADOR IN PEKING, SIR RICHARD EVANS AND THE CHINESE VICE- MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, MR ZHOU NAN. THE CEREMONY WILL BE BRIEF AND LOW-KEY. NO OFFICIAL REPRESENTATIVES FROM LONDON OR HONG KONG WILL BE PRESENT.
LINE TO TAKE
4. IF ASKED WHY RATIFICATION WILL DE TAKING PLACE ONE MONTH BEFORE
YOU SHOULD THE DEADLINE (30 JUNE) SET IN THE JOINT DECLARATION, SAY THAT THIS IS BECAUSE ALL THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON BOTH SIDES.
CONFIDENTIAL
HAVE
15.1F
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