XN000022-1984-04-20 — Page 9

FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1984

Q12. HARVEY STOCKWIN, TIMES OF INDIA

A.

SIR, REGARDING YOUR STATEMENT THAT IT IS RIGHT FOR ME TO TELL YOU NOW THAT IT WOULD NOT BE REALISTIC TO THINK OF AN AGREEMENT THAT PROVIDES FOR CONTINUED BRITISH ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997.+ THE STATEMENT DOES NOT RECORD ON WHAT GROUNDS IT WOULD BE CONSIDERED REALISTIC. WAS IT REALISTIC BECAUSE BRITAIN DID NOT SEEK SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT, OR BECAUSE CHINA REJECTED IT? HOW FAR DID THE BRITISH SIDE PUSH FOR AN ARRANGEMENT UNDER WHICH CHINA WOULD HAVE HAD SOVEREIGNTY RESTORED, MIXED WITH SOME CONTINUING DEGREE OF BRITISH ADMINISTRATION? A SOLUTION WHICH MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG FEEL IS THE BEST GUARANTEE OF CONTINUITY OF WHICH YOU SPEAK.

WHAT WE ARE DOING IS CONDUCTING NEGOTIATIONS ON A REALISTIC BASIS WITH THE INTENTION OF SECURING THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME ON THE MOST ASSURED BASIS FOR THE FUTURE, IN THE INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, AND IN DOING THAT, OF COURSE, AT EACH STAGE AND IN EACH WAY, WE PRESS ALL THE POINTS WHICH ARE REGARDED AS IMPORTANT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO CONSIDER HOW THE AGREEMENT COMES TOGETHER AS A WHOLE. WE HAVE TO CONSIDER, THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER, PARLIAMENT WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER, AT THE END OF THE NEGOTIATIONS HOW ALL THE ELEMENTS OF THE NEGOTIATIONS COME TOGETHER, AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT HAS BEEN RIGHT TO EXPLORE HOW IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO ARRIVE AT ARRANGEMENTS THAT WOULD SECURE FOR HONG KONG AFTER 1997 A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY UNDER CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY THAT WILL PRESERVE THE WAY OF LIFE IN HONG KONG, TOGETHER WITH THE ESSENTIALS OF THE PRESENT SYSTEM. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS TO EXPLORE ALL THE WAYS IN WHICH THAT IS BEST LIKELY TO BE ASSURED AND IT IS IN THAT CONTEXT WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION TO WHICH YOU REFER.

013. MICHAEL EVANS, DAILY EXPRESS

A.

TWO YEARS AGO THE PRIME MINISTER, IN PEKING, SEEMED UNWILLING TO TOTALLY RELINQUISH ALL BRITISH RIGHT TO SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG. ARE YOU NOW TODAY SAYING THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT DOES JUST THAT?

AT THE END OF THE DAY, ONLY PARLIAMENT CAN CONCEDE SOVEREIGNTY, AND WHEN PARLIAMENT CONSIDERS THIS MATTER IT WILL HAVE TO SEE THE AGREEMENT AS A WHOLE AND SEE HOW FAR ALL THE ELEMENTS I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. HOW FAR ALL THE COMPONENTS WE DESIRE CAN BE JUDGED TOGETHER AT THE END OF THE NEGOTIATION, IT IS IN THAT CONTEXT WE SHALL REACH THAT CONCLUSION,

/Q14.