XN000022-1984-12-19 — Page 5

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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1984

+THE NEGOTIATION ITSELF HAS BROUGHT OUR COUNTRIES CLOSER TOGETHER. IT HAS INCREASED OUR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, RESPECT AND TRUST. I AM CONVINCED THAT AS WE WORK TOGETHER IN THE FUTURE WE SHALL BE LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR AN EVEN CLOSER AND DEEPER RELATIONSHIP. THAT IS GOOD FOR BRITAIN: GOOD FOR CHINA: AND GOOD FOR THE WORLD. ABOVE ALL IT IS GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+WE ARE PRIVILEGED TODAY TO TAKE PART WITH OUR CHINESE FRIENDS IN A UNIQUE OCCASION. THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNIQUE, THE AGREEMENT IS UNIQUE. IT IS RIGHT THAT WE SHOULD FEEL A SENSE OF HISTORY, OF PRIDE AND OF CONFIDENCE IN THE FUTURE.+

*HK PEOPLE WILL RISE TO CHALLENGE+

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FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF A SPEECH BY THE PRIME MINISTER MRS MARGARET THATCHER, AT THE BANQUET AT THE GREAT HALL OF THE PEOPLE IN PEKING THIS (DECEMBER 19) EVENING:

+YOUR EXCELLENCY, PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG, YOUR EXCELLENCIES, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND GREAT PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE VISITING CHINA FOR THE THIRD TIME IN SEVEN YEARS. EACH VISIT HAS BEEN ALL TOO SHORT. BUT EACH VISIT HERE ALSO MADE A DEEP IMPRESSION ON ME. THIS VISIT HAS A SPECIAL IMPORTANCE BECAUSE IT MARKS AN HISTORIC ACHIEVEMENT.

+THAT ACHIEVEMENT WAS OUR SIGNATURE THIS AFTERNOON OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG. IN MY SPEECH AT THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY I DESCRIBED THE SIGNIFICANCE WHICH WE ATTACH TO THE JOINT DECLARATION: OUR DETERMINATION TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF IT: AND

THE FIRM BASIS WHICH IT LAYS DOWN FOR THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG'S UNIQUE SOCIETY INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE 21ST CENTURY.

I EXPRESSED MY CONVICTION THAT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WOULD RISE TO THE CHALLENGE THAT LIES AHEAD OF THEM.

+THE WORLD CAN DRAW A LESSON FROM THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOME OF OUR JOINT ENTERPRISE:

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DETERMINED NEGOTIATION CAN SUCCEED WHERE CONFRONTATION WOULD SURELY LEAD TO DISASTER:

GOOD WILL AND FRIENDSHIP CAN OVERCOME MISUNDERSTANDING:

AN INTRACTABLE PROBLEM INHERITED FROM THE PAST CAN BE SOLVED THROUGH AN IMAGINATIVE APPROACH TO THE FUTURE:

DIVISIONS IN INTERNATIONAL LIFE CAN BE OVERCOME IN WAYS WHICH PRESERVE THE AUTONOMY AND INDIVIDUALITY OF THE SOCIETIES AFFECTED.

/+BOTH OUR