TNAG-1243-FCO40-1557-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 7

PROGRAMME BROADCAST 17th November, 1983

QUESTION TIME

KEN RITCHIE

Should the Government not now start serious negotiations with the Chinese on the future of Hong Kong in order to avoid a situation arising in 1991 similar to that which we had in the

Falklands in 1982?

SIR ROBIN DAY

Thank you Mr. Ritchie and George Walden, I think he means 1997.

GEORGE WALDEN M.P.

(Cons)

Can I start off by saying that obviously they are very very different cases

indeed. The Falklands is ours. It is

as simple as that. 97% of Hong Kong expires on a lease in 1997 and so it is

a completely different situation. We have started negotiating in Hong Kong

-

I

it is all rather hush hush I think it has to be quite frankly because delicate national sensitivities are involved, particularly on the Chinese side. I am personally optimistic, I think there will be an agreement. hope it will be a sensible agreement, I think it has to be and we must

preserve prosperity but I would like to say one general thing on the subject of Hong Kong and the Falklands and Gibraltar

and one or two other territories and that is that in these negotiations, I think we should take an honourable view, we should fulfil our obligations to the people there but I would also like us

to keep in mind the interest of the

people of this country because I think we