XN000022-1984-07-14 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1984

AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE THERE IS STILL SOME WAY. TO GO TO ACHIEVE THIS AGREEMENT BUT THE TALKS ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE A-EAD AND I REMAIN CONFIDENT THAT AN AGREEMENT CAN BE REACHED !CH WE CAN HONOURABLY RECOMMEND TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG ONG 12, ULTIMATELY, TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.

AS THE PACE OF THE TALKS SPEEDS UP, AND YOU HAVE NOTICED IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT WE HAVE HAD A WORKING GROUP IN PEKING WHICH HAS BEEN OPERATING EVERY DAY VIRTUALLY, SO THE PACE OF VISITS INEVITABLY SPEEDS UP AS WELL TO REFLECT THAT FACT.

NOW, I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE WORRIED NOT JUST ABOUT THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR FUTURE AFTER 1997 BUT ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. THEREFORE I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY WHICH YOU HAVE GIVEN ME TO REAFFIRM VERY CLEARLY TO YOU, AS INDEED THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS DONE IN THE PAST WHEN HE WAS LAST HERE IN APRIL, THAT IT IS THE FIRM INTENTION OF THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO RETAIN RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG IN THE 13 YEARS TO 1997.+

END OF STATEMENT, QUESTIONS FOLLOW.

ANSWER:

DURING YOUR VISIT. CONCERN HAS BEEN EXPRESSED VERY FORCIBLY AS TO HOW THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CAN EFFECTIVELY TEST THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THE AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE. WE ARE GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS, IN FACT, MAKING VERY LITTLE PROGRESS ON THIS ISSUE. HAS YOUR VISIT GIVEN YOU GROUNDS FOR REASSURING PARLIAMENT BEFORE IT GOES INTO RECESS THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL ACCEPT THE SORT OF AGREEMENT WHICH IS ENVISAGED?

WELL, I THINK YOU ASKED A QUESTION, AS I UNDERSTOOD IT ABOUT THE TEST OF THE OPINION OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THIS VERY FULLY ON BOARD. WE HAVE BEEN GIVING, OVER SEVERAL WEEKS, THE CLOSEST POSSIBLE CONSIDERATION TO THIS THE MECHANICS OF OBTAINING THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO DOING THIS FROM THE QUEEN'S SPEECH OF 1983 AND EVER SINCE. IT IS SOMETHING WE WILL CARRY OUT. WE WOULD LIKE TO BE IN A POSITION, AND WE HOPE TO BE IN A POSITION, TO ANNOUNCE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, LET ALONE TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT, WHAT OUR PLANS WILL BE FOR THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR TESTING HONG KONG OPINION. WOULD HOPE THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT PRETTY SOON.

/QUESTION TWO: