TNAG-1304-FCO40-1660-Visit-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-a-1984 — Page 16

OPS 305

RESTRICTED

FROM PEKING 02034CZ AUG 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

RESTRICTED

HK

RECE

-2 AUG 1934

CETRY

for laken

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1699 OF 2/3/84

IEDEX

1860 IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

138

MY TELNO 220 TO HONG KONG:

CHINESE PRESS COVERAGE

7MALL

SECRETARY OF STATES VISIT:

1. A SPOKESMAN FOR INFORMATION DEPARMTN OF THE MFA MADE

A STATEMENT YESTERDAY (1 AUGUST) ON THE JOINT

LIAISON GROUP, THE FULL TEXT OF WHICH IS PEPORTED

PROMINENTLY ON THE FRONT PAGES OF BOTH THE PEOPLES

DAILY AND CHINA DAILY.

IT READS1

** DURING HIS WORKING VISIT TO BEIJING, THE BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY HELD FRUITFUL TALKS WITH THE CHINESE LEADERS ON THE MAJOR ASPECTS OF THE HONG KONG QUESTION IN A FRIENDLY

SPIRIT AND AN ATMOSPHERE OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING AND MUTUAL ACCOMMODATION. THE TALKS REGISTERED SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS, AS STATED IN THE JOINT PRESS COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE

CONCLUSION OF THE VISIT. THE TWO SICES REACHED AGREEMENT ON

THE SETTING UP OF A SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP.

THE GOVERNMENTS OF CHINA AND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE

AGREED TO SET UP THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN ORDER TO FURTHER THEIR COMMON AIM AND PROMOTE THE COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP WHICH ALREADY EXISTS "ETWEEN THE TWO COVERNMENTS

OVER HONG KONG. THE FUNCTIONS OF THE JOINT LIAISON OROUP SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS:

1. TO CONDUCT CONSULTATIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION TO SE CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE CHINESE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM GOVERNMENTS:

2. TO DISCUSS MATTERS RELATING TO THE SUOOTH TRANSFER OF COVER

IN 1007: AND

3. TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND CONDUCT CONSULTA

TO AS MAY BE AGREED BY THE TWO CICC).

THE JOINT TALOON SOUP SKALL

RESTRICTED

ME SUCH NEJC-

/ORGAN

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