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MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1984
IT WAS WITHIN CHINA'S POWER TO BREAK OFF THE NEGOTIATIONS OR TO ANNOUNCE HER PLANS FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE UNILATERALLY. BUT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. THE TWO SIDES PERSEVERED TO PRODUCE THE DETAILED DRAFT AGREEMENT BEFORE US.
+MANY WILL RECALL OUR CONTROVERSIAL VISIT TO LONDON AND IT IS GRATIFYING TO SEE THAT IT ALSO SETS OUT THE MANY CONSTITUENT FREEDOMS AND FACTORS WHICH WE STRESSED IN OUR MISSION TO LONDON AS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG,+ MR LOBO CONTINUED.
+THE FACT THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES INTERNATIONALLY TO AN AGREEMENT IN SUCH DETAIL, THAT THE PRC SHOULD EVOLVE AND COMMIT ITSELF TO THE MAINTENANCE OF TWO SYSTEMS WITHIN ONE STATE AND THAT BOTH GOVERNMENTS SHOULD SEE THE AGREEMENT AS A BLUEPRINT FOR MAINTAINING THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG -- ALL THESE FACTORS PERSUADE ME THAT THE NEGOTIATORS HAVE DONE THE IR BEST TO SECURE HONG KONG'S FUTURE, HE SAID.
IT REMAINED AND WAS NO LESS IMPORTANT BASIC LAW IN THE SAME SPIRIT.
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TO DETERMINE THE
BUT THERE WAS A VITAL FACTOR THAT NO WRITTEN AGREEMENT OR NEGOTIATIONS COULD PROVIDE. IF WE WERE SATISFIED THAT THE TWO
AND HOW GOVERNMENTS HAD REACHED THIS AGREEMENT IN GOOD FAITH -- COULD WE SEE SUCH A DETAILED INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENT IN ANY OTHER WAY? WHAT REMAINED WAS THE NEED FOR PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.
+WE HAVE A GOOD AGREEMENT AND IT IS NOW UP TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND INDEED THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO MAKE IT WORK, + MR LOBO SAID.
+THE END RESULT MUST BE A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS HONG KONG. ANYTHING LESS WILL ERODE THE BASIS FOR THE AGREEMENT AND THE CASE FOR PRESERVING HONG KONG AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.
+IN ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES - NOT LEAST BEING THE CHOICE OF ACCEPTING THE AGREEMENT OR FACING THE FUTURE WITHOUT ONE -- THE DRAFT AGREEMENT BEFORE US IS A GOOD AGREEMENT AND ONE WHICH CAN BE COMMENDED TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, HE SAID.
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