XN000022-1984-04-20 — Page 7

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1984

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AS I HAVE SAID, WE ARE WORKING TO A PROGRAMME WHICH TAKES ACCOUNT BOTH OF CHINESE WISHES AND OF ALL OF OUR OWN REQUIREMENTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS, IS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE MENTIONED, NAMELY THE NEED TO REACH AN AGREEMENT AS SOON AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO RUSH THE NEGOTIATIONS. THAT WOULD BE WRONG. IT MEANS WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE GETTING THE RIGHT AGREEMENT, IT HAS GOT TO HAVE SUFFICIENT CONTENT, AND THE RIGHT CONTENT AND THAT ON THAT BASIS, I AM QUITE CERTAIN THAT IN ORDER TO REMOVE UNCERTAINTY TO ESTABLISH CONFIDENCE ON THE BEST BASIS, WE SHOULD STRIVE TO REACH AN AGREEMENT AS SOON AS WE SENSIBLY CAN.

JILL HARTLEY - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE FOUR OF YOUR STATEMENT YOU SAY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THEY INTEND ARRANGEMENTS TO LAST FOR AT LEAST 50 YEARS FROM 1997 THEN YOU SAY WE ARE WORKING FOR AN AGREEMENT WHICH WILL ENSHRINE THAT PRINCIPLE. DOES THAT MEAN THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A 50 YEAR AGREEMENT?

INDEED THE PRINCIPLE OF CONTINUITY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WANT. CONTINUITY IS THE NECESSARY FOUNDATION OF

CONFIDENCE AND REFER THERE TO THE CHINESE PUBLIC

INDICATION OF THE PROSPECT OF 50 YEARS CONTINUATION

OF PRESENT SYSTEMS AND SO ON, FROM 1997.

CLEARLY,

THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD WANT TO SEE EMBODIED IN ANY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT.

NICK GOWING - ITN LONDON

IS THERE ANY DOUBT IN YOUR MIND, FOREIGN SECRETARY, THAT WHAT YOU NEGOTIATE IN THE COMING MONTHS WILL SIMPLY BE IRRELEVANT TO WHATEVER THE POLITICAL SITUATION MIGHT BE, BOTH IN BRITAIN AND CHINA 13 YEARS FROM NOW.

WHAT WE NEGOTIATE DURING THE COMING MONTHS, WHAT WE HAVE NEGOTIATED IN THE MONTHS PASSED, IS ABOUT THE POINS HAT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THÉ ARRANGEMENTS OF WHICH I SPOKE, WHICH NEEDS TO BE SPELT OUT IN THE AGREEMENT, OF WHICH I SPOKE.

THAT IS WHY

IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS, ENTERED INTO AS AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT THAT IS INTENDED TO BE BINDING. THAT IS THE BEST ASSURANCE OF THE CONTINUITY AND RELIABILITY OF THE MATTERS WE ARE DISCUSSING AND SEEKING TO AGREE.

/Q-10