XN000022-1985-11-22 — Page 2

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1985

BRITAIN, CHINA COMMITTED TO CARRY OUT JOINT DECLARATION

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BOTH THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ARE VERY FIRMLY COMMITTED TO THE SCRUPULOUS CARRYING OUT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND BOTH GOVERNMENTS HAVE MADE QUITE CLEAR THAT THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE INTENT ON DOING, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, SAID TONIGHT (FRIDAY).

SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF REPORTERS AFTER ATTENDING THE SILVER JUBILEE DINNER OF THE HONG KONG MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION.

ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE INDICATION BY MR XU JIATUN THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAD DONE SOMETHING WHICH HAD CONTRADICTED THE SPIRIT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION+ SIR EDWARD SAID: + DON'T KNOW WHAT MR XU HAD IN MIND, AND I THINK YOU MUST ASK HIM ABOUT THAT.+

SIR EDWARD ADDED THAT HE DID NOT THINK THERE WAS ANY CHANGE SINCE HE SPOKE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO.

HE NOTED + SAID THERE THAT I THOUGHT THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WOULD EACH BE ALIVE TO THE VIEWS AND CONCERNS OF THE OTHER AND THE CONCERNS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

+AND I WAS QUITE CONFIDENT THAT ON THAT BASIS WE COULD DEVISE STRUCTURES WHICH WOULD ENDURE AND WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD ENABLE US TO HAVE A SMOOTH TRANSITION, AND THAT'S STILL MY VIEW,+ SIR EDWARD ADDED.

NOTE:

FOR YOUR REFERENCE, THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXTRACT OF THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH AT THE OPENING OF THE 1985/86 SESSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ON OCTOBER 30 RELATING TO THE COMMITMENTS OF BOTH THE BRITISH AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENTS:

J

+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. BOTH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT, WHICH WILL REMAIN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UP TO 1997, AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DRAFTING THE BASIC LAW, HAVE AS THEIR STARTING POINT THE JOINT DECLARATION, WHICH SETS OUT IN ANNEX 1 THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT FOR THE FUTURE. BOTH GOVERNMENTS HAVE PLEDGED THEMSELVES TO CONSULT EXTENSIVELY WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. 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. I 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.+

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