XN000022-1983-06-23 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JUNE 23, 1983

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BARONESS YOUNG REAFFIRMS BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S

COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG

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THE NEW MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS, BARONESS YOUNG, TODAY REAFFIRMED THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG.

BARONESS YOUNG WAS GIVING THE OPENING SPEECH IN THE HOUSE

OF LORDS DEBATE ON THE QUEEN'S SPEECH.

SHE WAS THE FIRST OF AN EXPECTED 22 MEMBERS OF THE LORDS TO SPEAK IN THE DEBATE DEALING WITH DEFENCE AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

SHE SAID: +GIVEN (THESE) FRIENDLY LINKS BETWEEN BRITAIN AND CHINA AND OUR COMMON INTEREST IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, COMMON SENSE DEMANDS THAT WE AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE TALKS.

+I BELIEVE THAT WITH GOODWILL, A SATISFACTORY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT WILL BE REACHED.+

IN HER LENGTHY SPEECH BARONESS YOUNG ADDRESSED THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES OF HER SECTION DEALING WITH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES.

SHE DESCRIBED THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S FUTURE AS A VITAL ONE+ FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE TERRITORY.

BARONESS YOUNG CONTINUED: +OUR COMMITMENT TO THEIR FUTURE WELL-BEING IS CLEAR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND THEM, AND YOUR LORDSHIPS, THAT OUR AIM IS TO SEEK A SOLUTION WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE NOT ONLY TO THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS, BUT ALSO TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.+

TALKS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE WERE TAKING PLACE, SHE SAID, THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IN PEKING.

SHE SAID: +1 CANNOT PREDICT HOW LONG THEY WILL TAKE. BUT CAN ASSURE THE HOUSE THAT WE ARE PROCEEDING AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. THERE HAVE BEEN A GOOD MANY RUMOURS ABOUT WHAT IS OR IS NOT BEING DISCUSSED. YOUR NOBLE LORDSHIPS WILL NOT EXPECT ME TO COMMENT ON THESE. YOU WILL I AM SURE ACCEPT THAT THE TALKS MUST REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL IF THEY ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THE GOVERNMENT CERTAINLY DO NOT REGARD THE OUTCOME OF THE TALKS AS PRE-JUDGED BY ANYTHING THAT IS SAID OUTSIDE THEM.+

BARONESS YOUNG SAID THE TALKS WERE TAKING PLACE AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF CO-OPERATION AND GOOD RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM. A SPECIAL IMPETUS WAS ADDED BY THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO CHINA LAST YEAR.