IS
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN – SUPPLEMENT
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES BEACONSFIELD HOUSE, HONG KONG TEL: 5-233191
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1984
SECRETARY OF STATE MEETS PRESS
*****
FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL CHAMBERS TODAY (FRIDAY):
SIR GEOFFREY:
+AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE JUST COME FROM THREE DAYS
OF MEETINGS WITH CHINESE LEADERS IN PEKING. I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME THERE IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. BEFORE ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS, I SHOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS APPROACHING THESE IMPORTANT NEGOTIATIONS.
+LET ME SAY, RIGHT AT THE START, THAT I AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND ANXIETIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHICH ARISE FROM THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE WHICH THEY HAVE SHOWN. THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL IN PROGRESS, AND CONFIDENTIALITY IS IMPORTANT FOR THEIR SUCCESS. SO I DO NOT PROPOSE TODAY TO GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT IS BEING DISCUSSED. A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT POINTS STILL HAVE TO BE SETTLED. BUT I SHOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW I SEE THE SITUATION AND THE LIKELY WAY AHEAD.
+FORMAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WERE STARTED IN SEPTEMBER 1982, WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER VISITED PEKING. WE THEN AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO ENTER INTO TALKS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS, WITH THE COMMON AIM OF MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG. WHEN WE STARTED THOSE TALKS, IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO REMOVE THE UNCERTAINTY OVER THE FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY. THAT REMAINS OUR INTENTION. THE UNCERTAINTY ARISES FROM THE FACT THAT THE LEASE ON 92 PERCENT OF THE TERRITORY IS DUE TO EXPIRE IN 1997. IT WAS AND STILL IS OUR INTENTION TO WORK OUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE THAT WILL BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE EXPIRY OF THE LEASE IS A FACT WE COULD NOT AND CANNOT IGNORE.
/+I WANT