THURSDAY, JULY 26, 1984
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+MEANWHILE, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT I WANT TO EMPHASISE: FIRST, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES STILL TO BE RESOLVED THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE ON COURSE SECOND, IT IS COMMON GROUND BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS THAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 RESTS WITH BRITAIN. WE SHALL FULFIL THAT RESPONSIBILITY; THIRD, OUR OBJECTIVE REMAINS UNCHANGED A BINDING AND DETAILED AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WHICH WILL PRESERVE A HIGH DEGREE OF CONTINUITY AND AUTONOMY IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997.
+THE FACT THAT THIS IS MY SECOND VISIT IN JUST THREE MONTHS UNDERLINES HOW IMPORTANT THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE FOR THE PRIME MINISTER AS WELL AS FOR MYSELF. IN FACT THEY ARE ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PRIORITIES. WE ARE DOING OUR UTMOST TO BRING THE NEGOTIATIONS TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION, BY WHICH I MEAN A CONCLUSION WHICH BEST SERVES THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO DO JUST THAT,+
TRAVELLING WITH SIR GEOFFREY WERE:
SIR PERCY CRADOCK, DEPUTY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, MR L. V. APPLEYARD, PRINCIPAL PRIVATE SECRETARY, MR P. J. GOULDEN, HEAD OF NEWS DEPARTMENT, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE, MR A.C. GALSWORTHY, HEAD OF THE HONG KONG DEPARTMENT, FCO, AND MR P.F. RICKETTS, PRIVATE SECRETARY.
GOVERNOR RETURNS TO HK
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, RETURNED TO HONG KONG TODAY AFTER THE LATEST ROUND OF TALKS IN PEKING ON THE FUTURE.
HE WAS GREETED AT THE AIRPORT BY THE DEPUTY TO THE GOVERNOR, MR DENIS BRAY, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SIR S.Y. CHUNG, AND THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR ROGER LOBO.
SPEAK ING TO REPORTERS, SIR EDWARD SAID:
+THIS WAS QUITE A NORMAL ROUND - I SUPPOSE YOU COULD SAY IT WAS ALSO A PREPARATION FOR SIR GEOFFREY'S VISIT, AS YOU KNOW WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO WELCOMING HIM THIS AFTERNOON. HE WILL,
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OF COURSE, HAVE HAD A FULL REPORT FROM MR RICHARD LUCE, WHO WAS HERE A FEW WEEKS AGO, BUT THIS VISIT WILL ENABLE US TO BRING HIM UP TO DATE. ON THE STATE OF THE TALKS AND ALSO ON THE STATE OF OPINION IN HONG KONG ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES.
+FOR ME THIS IS QUITE A FAST TURNROUND BECAUSE I SHALL BE GOING BACK UP TO PEKING WITH HIM TOMORROW AND I SHALL BE THERE UNTIL EARLY NEXT WEEK WHEN I WILL COME BACK DOWN WITH HIM ON THE SAME AIRCRAFT, AND I AM SURE THAT WILL BE A VERY USEFUL AND IMPORTANT VISIT.
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