FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1984
GOVERNOR AND EXCO MEMBERS RETURN
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, AND SEVEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL TONIGHT (FRIDAY) RETURNED FROM LONDON AFTER CONSULTATIONS WITH MINISTERS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.
THE SEVEN UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WHO RETURNED TONIGHT WERE SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, MR ROGER LOBO, MR LI FOOK-WO, MISS LYDIA DUNN, MR LEE QUO-WEI, MR CHEN SHOU-LUM AND MISS MARIA TAM.
ALSO TRAVELLING WITH THE GROUP WERE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS, THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SERVICES, MR PÉTER TSAO, THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COUNCILS AND ADMINISTRATION BRANCH, MR ROBERT UPTON, AND THE GOVERNOR'S PRIVATE SECRETARY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF SIR EDWARD'S REMARKS TO WAITING NEWSMEN AT THE AIRPORT TONIGHT:
+GOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THE PURPOSE OF OUR VISIT TO LONDON, THIS VISIT WAS IN THE PATTERN OF A NUMBER OF PREVIOUS VISITS WHERE WE HAVE ALWAYS AT EACH STAGE,
MYSELF OR IMPORTANT STAGE, OF THE NEGOTIATIONS, GONE TO LONDON AND THE UNOFFICIALS TO CONSULT WITH MINISTERS.
*THIS VISIT WAS A PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ONE BECAUSE WE WENT TO CONSULT ON THE DRAFT TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WHICH HAD BEEN REFERRED BY THE NEGOTIATORS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS FOR CONSIDERATION.
+WE HAD A VERY FULL DISCUSSION ON THAT WITH THE PRIME MINISTER AND WITH THE FOREIGN SECRETARY, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, ON THE EVENING BEFORE THE MEETING OF THE CABINET AT WHICH CABINET CONSIDERED THAT DRAFT. AS I THINK YOU KNOW, CABINET ENDORSED THE DRAFT AND INSTRUCTED THAT THE BRITISH NEGOTIATORS SHOULD INITIAL IT NEXT WEEK. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT DECISION HAS BEEN FORMALLY CONVEYED TO THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
+THE DATE OF THE INITIALLING HAS NOT YET BEEN ANNOUNCED, BUT OF COURSE WILL BE GOING TO PEKING FOR THE INITIALLING AND THEN RETURNING HERE AFTER THAT IN ORDER TO SPEAK TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
+ I WISH YOU ALL GOOD EVENING.+
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION, SIR SZE-YUEN CHUNG, SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, SAID, THE FULL COUNCIL ENDORSED THE AGREEMENT FOR INITIALLING.+
SIR EDWARD ADDED, I'D LIKE TO CONFIRM THAT THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS AND THE OFFICIAL MEMBERS WERE ALL IN FULL ACCORD WITH THE DECISION TO INITIAL. +
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