IS
DAILY INFORMATION BULLETIN-SUPPLEMENT
ISSUED BY GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES BEACONSFELD HOUSE, HONG KONG TEL 5-233191
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1984
PRIME MINISTER ADDRESSES EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS
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FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF THE SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER, TO A JOINT SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATVIE COUNCILS THIS EVENING:
+YOUR EXCELLENCY, HONOURABLE MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS,
YESTERDAY
+THIS EVENING I SPEAK TO YOU ON A MOMENTOUS OCCASION. IN PEKING PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG AND I SIGNED THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG.
+ IT IS FITTING THAT THIS HISTORIC DOCUMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY TWO PRIME MINISTERS. THESE SIGNATURES TESTIFY TO THE TOTAL COMMITMENT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT.
+THOSE SIGNATURES WERE ALSO THE CULMINATION OF A PROCESS WHICH BEGAN TWO YEARS AGO WHEN I VISITED PEKING AND HONG KONG. DURING THOSE TWO YEARS WE HAVE CONDUCTED TAXING AND COMPLEX NEGOTIATIONS, AND PAY TRIBUTE TO SIR GEOFFREY HOWE AND HIS ABLE TEAM OF ADVISERS,
+ THE AIM AGREED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS WAS TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. FOR US ON THE BRITISH SIDE THIS HAS A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
+THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS MY FIRST CONCERN WAS THE FUTURE WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG AND HER PEOPLE.
+BRITAIN HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG FOR NEARLY 150 YEARS. IT IS AN ASSOCIATION WHICH IS A SOURCE OF JUSTIFIABLE PRIDE TO US ALL. AND BRITISH ADMINISTRATION HAS PROVIDED THE NECESSARY LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION FOR WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED.
/+BUT HONG