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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1984
HOWE: THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP MAY, BY AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES, SET UP SEPARATE GROUPS TO DEAL WITH PARTICULAR SUBJECTS
(UNCLEAR) MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND SUB- GROUPS MAY BE ATTENDED BY EXPERTS OTHER THAN THE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, AND SO ON. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS PROVISION FOR A STEADY DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORKING OF THE GROUP IN A PRACTICAL FASHION. BUT IT IS THE GROUP ITSELF THAT REMAINS ONE ON WHICH OFFICIALS OF EITHER SIDE WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF IT. THAT IS PART OF THE NATURE OF THE GROUP AND, OF COURSE, THE OFFICIALS WILL INCLUDE THOSE FROM THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT ITSELF. THE MATTERS ARE VERY PRECISELY SET OUT IN THE AGREEMENT,
ROBERT PARRY (LABOUR) REGARDING THE LIAISON GROUP, THE FOREIGN SECRETARY WILL BE AWARE THAT UMELCO HAVE IN FACT MADE THIS POINT THAT HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD SIT ON IT. IS THAT THE DECISION ?
HOWE: I MUST EXPLAIN THAT OFFICIALS OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL BE MEMBERS OF THE GROUP, AND BEYOND THAT WILL BE PROVISION FOR INPUT FROM THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG BECAUSE IT IS PLAINLY IMPORTANT THAT THAT SHOULD BE SO. BUT LET ME JUST SAY THIS TO THE HOUSE, MR SPEAKER, I HAVE GOT QUITE A LONG SPEECH TO MAKE IN INTRODUCING THIS MATTER AND MY HONOURABLE FRIEND WILL BE ABLE TO PICK UP THESE QUESTIONS IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL WHEN HE COMES TO WIND-UP. BUT THE POINTS THAT HONOURABLE MEMBERS HAVE BEEN RAISING DO RELATE TO ONE THAT I WANT TO UNDERLINE. OUR AIM THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS WAS TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN IN NO DOUBT FROM THE
START THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD DEMAND NOTHING LESS. THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED THAT AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED IN HONG KONG TO COLLATE AND ANALYSE THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT. THEIR REPORT, TOGETHER WITH THE REPORT OF THE TWO MONITORS WHOM I APPOINTED TO OBSERVE THEIR WORK, WAS PUBLISHED AS A WHITE PAPER ON 29 NOVEMBER. THAT WHITE PAPER IS THE SECOND DOCUMENT THAT IS BEFORE THE HOUSE TODAY, ALONGSIDE THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ITSELF.
THE PERIOD OF ASSESSMENT IN HONG KONG ENDED ON 15 NOVEMBER IT WAS A CONSIDERABLE ACHIEVEMENT THAT A CLEAR AND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT REPORT, AND THE MONITORING TEAM'S REPORT ON IT, SHOULD HAVE BEEN COMPILED, FORWARDED AND PUBLISHED IN THE BARE THREE WEEKS THAT HAVE PASSED SINCE THEN. I SHOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HEAD OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, MR IAN MACP HER SON, THE TWO MONITORS, SIR PATRICK NAIRNE AND MR JUSTICE LI AND EVERYONE ELSE CONCERNED, FOR COMPLETING THEIR WORK IN TIME FOR THE HOUSE TO RECEIVE THEIR REPORTS IN THAT WAY.
I AM GLAD TO DRAW TO THE HOUSE'S ATTENTION THE CONCLUSION OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE, ENDORSED BY THE MONITORS, AND I QUOTE: THAT +MOST OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FIND THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE.+
THAT IS