WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1984
5.
+I RECOGNISE THAT THIS AGREEMENT MAY NOT BE REGARDED AS COMPLETELY SATISFACTORY BY ALL WHOM IT AFFECTS ON ALL POINTS. NO AGREEMENT COULD ACHIEVE THAT. BUT THROUGHOUT THESE NEGOTIATIONS WE HAVE LISTENED CAREFULLLY TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THERE HAS BEEN A CONSTANT FLOW OF INFORMATION, COMMENT AND ADVICE ON WHAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD WISH TO SEE IN THE AGREEMENT. THESE VIEWS HAVE BEEN CONVEYED TO HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT IN LONDON AND TAKEN FULLY INTO ACCOUNT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS. IN THE LIGHT OF THIS I CAN SAY WITHOUT HESITATION THAT THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES A SOUND BASIS ON WHICH THE COMMUNITY IN HONG KONG CAN BUILD ITS FUTURE BECAUSE IT PROVIDES FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THOSE ELEMENTS WHICH THE COMMUNITY OF HONG KONG HAVE MADE CLEAR THAT THEY REGARD AS ESSENTIAL.
+ IN DOING SO IT REMOVES AN OBSTACLE. THE STORY OF HONG KONG OVER THE PAST FORTY YEARS HAS BEEN ONE OF INCREASING ECONOMIC SUCCESS AND AN IMPROVING STANDARD OF LIFE. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN BORN HERE OR HAVE COME FROM OTHER PLACES HAVE WON THE ADMIRATION OF THE OUTSIDE WORLD FOR THE IR VITALITY, THE IR CAPACITY FOR HARD WORK, THE IR SKILLS AND TALENT FOR ADAPTABILITY. BUT THE UNCERTAINTY ABOUT 1997 BECAME A DETERRENT TO CONFIDENCE AND PROGRESS. NOW HONG KONG CAN MOVE AHEAD ONCE MORE.
+FOR ITS PART, YOUR GOVERNMENT IS DETERMINED TO PLAY ITS PART IN CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WITH THE FOUNDATIONS ON WHICH THEY CAN BUILD THEIR FUTURE WITH CONFIDENCE. IT WILL DISCHARGE ITS DUTY OF GOVERNING HONG KONG IN THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IN MEETING THE NEED FOR HOUSING, SCHOOLS HOSPITALS AND PUBLIC SERVICES OF ALL KINDS, SO THAT EVERYONE IN HONG KONG WILL BE ENCOURAGED TO HAVE FAITH IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE THEY KNOW AND CAN SEE THAT THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF HAS THAT FAITH. I SHALL EXPLAIN IN MORE DETAIL THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR IN MY ANNUAL ADDRESS TO THIS COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 4.
+ THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT IS BEING PUBLISHED TODAY SIMULTANEOUSLY IN LONDON, PEKING AND HONG KONG. IT HAS BEEN INCLUDED, WITH AN INTRODUCTORY MEMORANDUM AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, IN A WHITE PAPER FOR PRESENTATION TO PARLIAMENT. THE WHITE PAPER IS ALSO BEING PUBLISHED HERE. IT IS NOW FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG TO CONSIDER AND DISCUSS THE AGREEMENT.
THE THIS COUNCIL HAS ALREADY RESOLVED TO DEBATE THE MATTER. ARRANGEMENTS FOR TESTING PUBLIC REACTION AND FOR MONITOR ING THAT PROCESS HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANNOUNCED. THE VIEWS WHICH ARE EXPRESSED ON THE AGREEMENT WILL BE CONSCIENTIOUSLY RECORDED AND IMPARTIALLY ASSESSED.
+1 NOW URGED EVERYONE IN HONG KONG TO READ THESE DOCUMENTS MOST CAREFULLY AND TO COME FORWARD WITH THEIR VIEWS. IT IS VITAL THAT THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT SHOULD HAVE THE FULLEST POSSIBLE ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR PARLIAMENT TO CONSIDER THE MATTER AND TO DECIDE WHETHER THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE AUTHORISED TO SIGN AN AGREEMENT ON WHICH THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG'S MORE THAN FIVE MILLION PEOPLE WILL DEPEND.
/+BITORE CONCLUDING