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5
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1984
A.
03.
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04.
A.
I AM NOT READY TO DISCLOSE THE CONTENT OF OUR DISCUSSIONS IN THE COURSE OF NEGOTIATIONS IN PEKING, BUT HAVE, IN MY STATEMENT, SET OUT THE OBJECTIVES WHICH WE BELIEVE COULD, AND WE WANT TO, ACHIEVE UNDER THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT WE HAVE IN MIND, AND THOSE DO, OF COURSE, INCLUDE CONTINUED PARTICIPATION OF HONG KONG IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS OF THE KIND YOU HAVE IN MIND.
DIANA LIN, ATV
IN RECENT YEARS THE HONG KONG GOVERAMENT HAS TAKEN IN MANY THOUSANDS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES. BRITAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES FELT A MORAL OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE PERMANENT HOMES FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO WERE FLEEING FROM COMMUNISM. WILL YOUR GOVERNMENT FEEL A SIMILAR OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE RE-SETTLEMENT FOR PEOPLE FROM HONG KONG, IF THEY DECIDE THAT THEY CANNOT STAY ON HERE UNDER A COMMUNIST GOVERNMENT?
OUR OBJECTIVES ARE TO SECURE AGREEMENT FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, WHICH TAKES ACCOUNT OF ALL THE OBJECTIVES THAT WE HAVE IN MIND; CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR THE WHOLE OF HONG KONG. AT LEAST FOR THE PERIOD THAT HAVE IN MIND, AND, IN SEEKING THOSE OBJECTIVES, OUR PURPOSE IS TO GET AGREEMENT ON THE WAY OF ACHIEVING THAT. I THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO HAVE IN MIND THROUGHOUT THESE NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE IF WE ACHIEVE THAT THEN WE ACHIEVE THE CONCLUSIONS THAT WE WANT, A CONTINUATION OF HONG KONG'S WAY OF LIFE, A CONTINUATION OF THE LEGAL, ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT HELP MAKE UP THAT WAY OF LIFE, IN THAT WAY WE BELIEVE WE SHOULD DO THE BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS THAT EVERYONE WOULD LIKE IN THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES.
DIANA LEE - INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE, WASHINGTON POST AND ECONOMIST
SHOULD THE HONG KONG PEOPLE EXPRESS THE VIEW THAT THE AGREEMENT WAS PARTIALLY OR TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE, WHAT WILL THE FOREIGN OFFICE DO THEN?
ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE ARE SO ANXIOUS TO CONTINUE AND EXTEND THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN TAKING PLACE THROUGH THE METHODS I HAVE DESCRIBED, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THAT IS FULL AND EFFECTIVE, IS TO ENSURE THAT, AS WE APPROACH THE FINAL STAGES OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS, WE DO SO HAVING FULLY IN MIND THE VIEWS OF PEOPLE IN HONG KONG, THE LIKELY VIEWS OF PARLIAMENT, SO THAT WE SHALL REACH AN AGREEMENT, IF WE ARE ABLE TO DO SO, THAT WE CAN CONFIDENTLY COMMEND TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND TO PARLIAMENT. MUST BE OUR OBJECTIVE. WE WANT TO REACH A CONCLUSION THAT WE CAN COMMEND AND THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND PARLIAMENT, WILL REGARD AS ACCEPTABLE.
THAT
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