TNAG-1299-FCO40-1655-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 97

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DESKBY FCO 20070OZ

DESKEY PEKING 20020OZ

DESKBY WASHINGTON 201400Z

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FM HONG KONG 200045Z APF 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1034 OF 20 APRIL

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, WASHINGTON

FOLLOWING FROM PRIVATE SECRETARY

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see (2916

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HKCK 02712

"FCEIVED IN REGISTRY

26 APR 1984

OFFICER

PA

JAL

REGISTRY

Raton Fakən

HONG KONG: SECRETARY OF STATE'S STATEMENT AT PRESS CONFERENCE.

1. FOLLOWING IS THE FINAL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT WHICH THE SECRETARY OF STATE WILL MAKE AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE HERE AT 030OZ THIS

MORNING, 20 APRIL.

BEGINS.

1. AS YOU KNOW, I HAVE JUST COME FROM THREE DAYS OF MEETINGS WITH CHINESE LEADERS IN PEKING. I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME THERE

IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. BEFORE ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS, I SHOULD LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY IN WHICH THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS APPROACHING THESE IMPORTANT

NEGOTIATIONS.

2. LET ME SAY, RIGHT AT THE START, THAT I AM VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS AND ANXIETIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WHICH ARISE FROM THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. I GREATLY

APPRECIATE THE PATIENCE WHICH THEY HAVE SHOWN. THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL IN PROGRESS. AND CONFIDENTIALITY IS IMPORTANT FOR THEIR

SUCCESS. SO I DO NOT PROPOSE TODAY TO GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT WHAT

IS BEING DISCUSSED. A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT POINTS STILL HAVE TO BE

SETTLED. BUT I SHOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU HOW I SEE THE SITUATION

AND THE LIKELY WAY AHEAD.

3. FORMAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WERE STARTED IN SEPTEMBER 1982, WHEN THE PRIME MINISTER VISITED PEKING. WE THEN AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO ENTER INTO TALKS THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS, WITH THE COMMON AIM OF MAINTAINING THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF HONG KONG. WHEN WE STARTED THOSE TALKS, IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO REMOVE THE UNCERTAINTY OVER THE FUTURE OF

THE TERRITORY. THAT REMAINS OUR INTENTION. THE UNCERTAINTY ARISES

FROM THE FACT THAT THE LEASE ON 92 PERCENT OF THE TERRITORY IS DUE TO EXPIRE IN 1997. IT WAS AND STILL IS OUR INTENTION TO WORK OUT ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE FUTURE THAT WILL BE IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE EXPIRY OF THE LEASE IS A FACT WE

COULD NOT AND CANNOT IGNORE.

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