XN000022-1982-10-06 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1982

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FOLLOW-UP TALKS ON FUTURE STARTED

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MEETINGS ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG HAVE BEGUN IN PEKING TO FOLLOW UP PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER'S VISIT, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE ANNOUNCED AT THE OPENING OF THE NEW LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL SESSION TODAY.

THE CONTENT OF THE TALKS MUST NECESSARILY REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL, HE SAID, BUT THE AIM WILL BE TO COMPLETE THEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THE GOVERNOR SAID HE COULD NOT MAKE ANY USEFUL FORECAST AS TO WHEN THAT WOULD BE.

+THERE ARE COMPLEX ISSUES TO BE DISCUSSED, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES WHICH MUST BE RECONCILED,

SAID.

+SO STEADY NERVES WILL BE NEEDED IN THE MONTHS AHEAD,+ HE

SIR EDWARD SAID HE SHARED MRS THATCHER'S BELIEF THAT. GIVEN THE COMMON OBJECTIVE, THE DIFFERENCES COULD BE RECONCILED AND AN AGREEMENT REACHED WHICH WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO CHINA AND BRITAIN AND WHICH WILL BE WELCOMED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

AS FAR AS THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WAS CONCERNED, IN

THE LIGHT OF THE STATEMENT OF COMMON OBJECTIVE FROM THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS AND THE COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG OF THE UK GOVERNMENT, +WE SHALL GO FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE TO PURSUE OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES TO THE IR CONCLUSION AND TO PROJECT THEM INTO THE FUTURE, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT THAT THE PRIME MINISTER HAD GIVEN A CLEAR ASSURANCE THAT IN CONDUCTING THE TALKS SHE WOULD SPEAK NOT ONLY FOR BRITAIN BUT FOR HONG KONG.

THE UK GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG HAD NEVER BEEN IN DOUBT, HE SAID, BUT THE PRIME MINISTER'S FORTHRIGHT REAFFIRMATION OF IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE TIMELY.

+NOR IS THERE ANY DOUBT THAT IN THE SEARCH FOR A SOLUTION HMG WILL TAKE THE VIEWS AND WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FULLY INTO ACCOUNT.+

AN IMPORTANT STAGE IN THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION, WHICH HAD ALREADY BEGUN WAS THE VISIT TO LONDON BY THE GROUP OF UMELCO MEMBERS WHO HAD ACCOMPANIED HIM THERE LAST MONTH.

+THE PROCESS WILL BE A CONTINUOUS ONE AND CAREFUL CONSIDERATION WILL NOW BE GIVEN TO HOW THIS CONSULTATIVE PROCESS CAN BEST BE PURSUED, SIR EDWARD SAID.

THE GOVERNOR ALSO EXPRESSED HIS APPRECIATION OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOR MRS THATCHER'S CONCERN AND UNDERSTANDING, AND FOR HER REAFFIRMATION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S RESPONSIBILITY AND COMMITMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

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