XN000022-1984-12-06 — Page 12

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1984

I KNOW

HOWE: I WOULD NOT LIKE TO GIVE THE HONOURABLE GENTLEMAN THE IMPRESSION THAT THAT COULD BE A CONSIDERATION. FROM OBSERVATIONS THAT HE HAS MADE IN THE PAST AND, INDEED, THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY MANY OTHERS. THAT IT IS A MATTER WHICH WAS REGARDED, UNDERSTANDABLY, AS BEING OF SOME IMPORTANCE. BUT THE FACT IS THAT IN THE COURSE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS TRANSMISIBILITY WAS UNOBTAINABLE. THE COMPROMISE WHICH WAS ARRIVED AT, BUT I MUST SAY I HAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THIS, WAS THE BEST THAT COULD BE ACHIEVED.

THE SECOND ISSUE 1 WANT TO DEAL WITH VIS THE STATIONING OF CHINESE FORCES IN HONG KONG AFTER 1997. UNDER THE AGREEMENT, DEFENCE IS A MATTER FOR THE CENTRAL PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT.

HOWEVER THE AGREEMENT CLEARLY PROVIDES THAT THE SAR GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER AND THAT FORCES SENT BY CHINA FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFENCE SHALL NOT INTERFERE IN ITS INTERNAL AFFAIRS. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IS AWARE OF THE SENSITIVITIES IN HONG KONG ON THIS MATTER, AND THAT THEY WILL ACT PRUDENTLY.

THERE IS ONE LAST POINT ON THE AGREEMENT. SOME HAVE ASKED WHETHER THERE CAN BE ANY GUARANTEE THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL KEEP THE AGREEMENT. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN ABSOLUTE GUARANTEE IN RELATIONS BETWEEN SOVEREIGN STATES. BUT I BELIEVE THAT THIS AGREEMENT OFFERS THE MOST SOLID GUARANTEES WHICH ARE POSSIBLE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS.

THE BEST GUARANTEE OF A COUNTRY'S PERFORMANCE IS ITS OWN INTEREST. CHINA HAS A VERY STRONG INTEREST BOTH IN ADHERING TO THIS AGREEMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT IT WORKS:

SELF

IN THE FIRST PLACE, CHINA HAS AND IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE TO HAVE STRONG ECONOMIC REASONS FOR WISHING TO SEE HONG KONG REMAIN STABLE AND PROSPEROUS.

SECONDLY, AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, THE WHOLE COURSE OF CHINESE REUNIFICATION, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CENTRAL POLICY OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, IS LIKELY TO BE CONNECTED TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS AGREEMENT.

BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE GIVEN THEIR COMMITMENT TO THIS AGREEMENT. BOTH COUNTRIES WILL WISH TO MAINTAIN THEIR REPUTATIONS BY UP HOLDING THE AGREEMENT IN THE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT WAS MADE.

IT WOULD BE TOO MUCH TO EXPECT THAT THIS DOCUMENT, WHICH HAS EMERGED FROM EXTREMELY COMPLEX AND SOMETIMES DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS, COULD PROVIDE THE WHOLE ANSWER TO EVERY PROBLEM. IN SOME AREAS IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO ELABORATE THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN THE AGREEMENT. ONE SUCH AREA, IS THE CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS AND GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.

/IN THAT