XN000022-1984-12-21 — Page 25

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1984

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05: WEN WEI PAO: SO COULD A CHANGE OF PARTY AFFECT YOUR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT?

PRIME MINISTER: YOU MEAN A CHANGE OF

QUESTIONER: OF PARTIES.

PRIME MINISTER: IN GOVERNMENT? NO, THE AGREEMENT IS MADE ON BEHALF OF BRITAIN. ON BEHALF OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. AND THE IMPLEMENTATION AND HONOURING OF THE AGREEMENT CONTINUES EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE CHANGES OF PARTIES. IT IS ALWAYS A CUSTOM IN BRITAIN.

Q6: JILL HARTLEY, SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: COULD I ASK YOU A QUESTION, PRIME MINISTER, ON DEFENCE, DID YOU RECEIVE ASSURANCES FROM THE CHINESE LEADERS THAT THERE WOULD BE NO COMPULSORY CONSCRIPTION INTO THE PLA FOR HONG KONG PEOPLE AFTER 1997? AND DID YOU DISCUSS THE OPTION WITH THEM

OF A LOCALLY-RECRUITED VOLUNTEER FORCE TO MAN THE BRITISH GARRISON HERE?

PRIME MINISTER NO. CONSCRIPTION IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE AGREEMENT AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE NOT SUGGESTED THAT THERE WOULD BE CONSCRIPTION.

Q.7

QUESTIONER:

AND THE SECOND HALF OF THE QUESTION, I'M SORRY...

I

PRIME MINISTER: DID NOT GO INTO DETAIL.

PATRICIA PENN, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION:

MRS THATCHER, HOW MUCH IMPORTANCE DO YOU SET ON SECRET BALLOT IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS AND WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IS THERE IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY MENTION OF THIS IN THE AGREEMENT.

PRIME MINISTER: YOU WILL FIND THAT THE AGREEMENT GOES INTO A GOOD DEAL OF DETAIL BUT, I THINK, NOT THE FULL KIND OF DETAIL WHICH YOU ARE SEEKING AT THE MOMENT. OF COURSE, BELIEVE IN A SECRET BALLOT. WE HAVE TO SORT OUT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG BETWEEN NOW AND 1997. OF COURSE, WE BELIEVE THAT DEMOCRACY REQUIRES A SECRET BALLOT.

PATRICIA PENN: WHAT GUARANTEE IS THERE FOR THAT AFTER 1997

THEN?

PRIME MINISTER: YOU WILL FIND THE AGREEMENT ITSELF - AND DUR ING THAT TIME BETWEEN NOW AND 1997 WE HAVE THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND OF COURSE THE AGREEMENT ITSELF SAYS THAT THE, ER, IT EXPECTS THE WHOLE STRUCTURE OF IT, IT EXPECTS THE LIFE-STYLE OF HONG KONG TO CONTINUE. BUT LONG BEFORE 1997 WE HAVE STEADILY AND SECURELY TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF REPRESENTATION OF LOCAL PEOPLE IN THE GOVERNMENT OF HONG KONG.

Q.8 EMILY LAU. FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW: PRIME MINISTER, ON WEDNESDAY YOU SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH CHINA PROMISING TO DELIVER OVER FIVE MILLION PEOPLE INTO THE HANDS OF A COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP. IS THIS MORALLY DEFENSIBLE, OR IS IT REALLY TRUE THAT IN INTERNATIONAL POLITICS THE HIGHEST FORM OF MORALITY IS ONE'S OWN NATIONAL INTERESTS?

/PRIME MINISTER: