XN000022-1985-10-30 — Page 19

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985

+ AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THESE DISCUSSIONS ARE

PROCEEDING, THE GOVERNOR SAID.

HE URGED ALL CONCERNED TO PUT FORWARD THEIR VIEWS ON THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED DRAFT ORDER IN COUNCIL ON BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) STATUS SO THAT THEY COULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN THE DRAFT ORDER CAME UP FOR DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND IN PARLIAMENT.

SIR EDWARD WENT ON TO DISCLOSE THAT THE FIRST ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG, AIMED AT KEEPING PARLIAMENT INFORMED ON A REGULAR BASIS OF DEVELOPMENTS HERE DURING THE RUN-UP TO 1997 WAS EXPECTED TO BE PUBLISHED AS A WHITE PAPER AND LAID BEFORE THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT LATER THIS YEAR.

+THE REPORT WILL BE LAID ALSO BEFORE THIS COUNCIL, HE ADDED.

HE RECALLED THAT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AGREED IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR TO PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT ON HONG KONG AND TO LAY IT BEFORE THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT AS A RESULT OF REPRESENTATIONS FROM ALL PARTIES,

ON THE BASIC LAW, SIR EDWARD SAID THAT BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAD PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO CONSULT EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+BOTH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, WHICH WILL REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997 AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS RESPONSIBILE FOR DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW, HAVE AS THEIR STARTING POINT THE JOINT DECLARATION, WHICH SETS OUT IN ANNEX I THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE FUTURE.

+ BOTH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF CHINA ARE FIRMLY COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG AND TO ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSITION IN 1997.

+ I AM SURE THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WILL AT ALL TIMES BE ALIVE TO THE CONCERNS AND THE VIEWS OF THE OTHER, AS WELL AS OF THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+1 AM ALSO CONFIDENT THAT, ON THESE FOUNDATIONS, A FRAMEWORK OF ENDURING INSTITUTIONS CAN BE CONSTRUCTED, WHICH WILL MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND ENABLE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997, + SIR EDWARD SAID.

AFTER RECAPPING THE SEQUENCE OF IMPORTANT EVENTS FOLLOWING HE INITIALLING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION, SIR EDWARD REPORTED BRIEFLY ON THE WORK OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE LAND COMMISSION.

/HE POINTED