TNAG-1299-FCO40-1655-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 92

GRS 1000

UNCLASSIFIED

DESKBY 2015OOZ FCO

DESKEY 2015302 COI

FM HONG KONG 20141OZ APR 34

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1096 OF 20 APRIL

AND TO IMMEDIATE C OI

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON

HKK

02712

ISTRY

26 APR 1984

RECISTRY

PA

ction

JAK

SECRETARY OF STATE'S PRESS CONFERENCE PUBLIC COMMENTS AS REPORTED ON TV AND RADIO STATIONS MID-DAY NEWS ON 20 APRIL, 1984

REACTION TO HOWE'S PRESS CONFERENCE

LAU CHIN-SHEK (CIC): THERE IS NOTHING NEW IN HIS STATEMENTS BECAUSE

WE ALREADY KNEW THAT THE SOVERIGNTY ISSUE IS NOT NEGOTIABLE. HE

DID NOT TOUCH ON THE OUTLINE AND CONTENTS OF THE TALKS AND THE

DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN THE DISCUSSIONS. THE TASK NOW IS TO

DISCLOSE ALL THE CONTENTS OF THE TALKS, AND TO GIVE THE DRAFT AGREEMENT TO HONG KONG PEOPLE FOR DISCUSSION.

LAU WONG-FAT (HEUNG YEE KUK CHAIRMAN): I AGREE WITH SIR GEOFFREY.

THAT AN AGREEMENT SIGNED BY BRITAIN AND CHINA IS IN EFFECT A

GUARANTEE THAT COULD PUT PEOPLE'S HEARTS AT EASE. IT IS BELIEVED

THE TWO NATIONS WILL ABIDE BY THE AGREEMENT IN THE INTERESTS OF

THEIR NATIONAL PRESTIGE.

SZE CHUSIAN (KONG KONG BELONGERS ASSOCIATION): SIR GEOFFREY'S STATEMENT HAS FULLY CONVEYED CHINA'S AND BRITAIN'S OPTIMISM IN THE

TALKS ON HONG KONG. HIS ASSURANCE SHOULD BE ABLE TO STABILISE

PUBLIC CONFIDENCE AND CONVINCE THEM THAT A GOOD AGREEMENT IS FORTHCOMING.

WONG YUEN-CHEUNG (TAI PO DB MEMBER): SIR GEOFFREY'S ASSURANCE THAT

BRITAIN WOULD ENSHRINE CHINA'S 50-YEAR GUARANTEE IS GOOD NEWS. THIS

ASSURANCE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SET PEOPLE'S HEARTS AT EASE.

LIU CHING-LEUNG (HEUNG YEE KUK MEMBER): SIR GEOFFREY'S STATEMENT

SHOWS THAT BOTH BRITAIN AND CHINA ARE SINCERE IN REACHING AN AGREE-

MENT AND THEN ABIDING BY IT. PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE WORRIED.

MICHAEL SANBERG (HONG KONG BANK CHAIRMAN): WHAT SIR GEOFFREY HAS

SAID IS CANDID, REALISTIC AND REASONABLE. THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT, AS SIR GEOFFREY HAS SAID, A GOOD DEAL OF PROGRESS HAS DEEN ACHIEVED IN THE TALKS. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAVE FOUR DAYS TO DIGEST WHAT HE HAS SAID AND THEREFORE IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THE

STOCK MARKET WOULD FLUCTUATE WILDLY IN REACTION TO HIS STATEMENT.

LEE YEE (SEVENTIES MONTHLY): SIR GEOFFREY REVEALED BRITAIN'S STAND TO RETURN SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG TO CHINA AFTER 1997. HE HOPED THAT THE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG WOULD INCLUDE CONCRETE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE TERRITORY.

/STEVE CHIN

294