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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1984
+THESE QUALITIES IN THE AGREEMENT HAVE BEEN RECOGNISED BY THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AND BY THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS OF CHINA, WHICH HAVE APPROVED THE INTENTION OF OUR GOVERNMENTS TO PROCEED TO SIGNATURE. THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A THOROUGH PUBLIC DEBATE AMONG THOSE WHOSE FUTURE IT WILL DETERMINE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE EXPRESSED SOME RESERVATIONS AND SOUGHT CLARIFICATION ON PARTICULAR POINTS, THEY HAVE CLEARLY JUDGED IT TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO THEM AS A WHOLE. THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN WIDELY PRAISED BY OTHER GOVERNMENTS. IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND IN FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CIRCLES. THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS HAS DESCRIBED IT AS AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WAY IN WHICH DIFFICULT INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED. INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL AND SUPPORT WILL BE VITAL FOR HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE, AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
+ SHOULD LIKE TO PAY A TRIBUTE TO THE LEADERS OF CHINA FOR THE VISION AND FAR-SIGHTEDNESS OF THE IR APPROACH TO THE NEGOTIATIONS. THE CONCEPT OF 'ONE COUNTRY, TWO SYSTEMS' - PRESERVING TWO DIFFERENT POLITICAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS WITHIN ONE NATION HAS NO PRECEDENT. IT OFFERS AN IMAGINATIVE RESPONSE TO THE SPECIAL HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG. THE CONCEPT IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW APPARENTLY INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS CAN, AND SHOULD BE RESOLVED.
+THE AGREEMENT IS A BASIS ON WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL BUILD. THEY WILL BRING TO THE TASK THE ENERGY, PERSISTENCE AND DETERMINATION FOR WHICH THEY ARE RIGHTLY FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT THEY WILL MAKE HONG KONG AN EVEN MORE FLOURISHING PLACE THAN IT IS TODAY.
+BRITAIN AND CHINA SHARE A CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THE CONDITIONS WITHIN WHICH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG CAN REALISE THIS GOAL. WE HAVE LAID THE FOUNDATION IN THIS SOLEMN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT. WE HAVE CREATED IN THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP. A FORUM FOR COOPERATION OVER ITS IMPLEMENTATION. WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMITMENT
TO IT TODAY BY THE SIGNATURES THAT YOU, MR PREMIER, AND I HAVE SET UPON IT. AND I AM HEARTENED BY THE ASSURANCE WHICH YOUR GOVERNMENT HAS REPEATEDLY GIVEN THAT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG CONTAINED IN THE AGREEMENT ARE NOT MEASURES OF EXPEDIENCY. THEY ARE LONG TERM POLICIES, WHICH WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE BASIC LAW FOR HONG KONG AND PRESERVED INTACT FOR 50 YEARS FROM 1997.
+FOR MY PART I PLEDGE THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL DO ALL IN ITS POWER TO MAKE THE AGREEMENT A SUCCESS. IT WILL BE OUR PRIDE AND OUR PLEASURE TO ADMINISTER HONG KONG UP TO THE 30 JUNE 1997 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE HIGHEST PRINCIPLES OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. WE SHALL ADMINISTER IT PRUDENTLY WITH FORESIGHT AND IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE.
+ IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT, WE SHALL BE READY TO CONSULT WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSITION AND WE ARE PLEASEL THAT THIS CONSULTATION WILL EXTEND BEYOND 1997 TO THE YEAR 2000,
/+T HELOTIATION