TNAG-1310-FCO40-1667-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1984 — Page 33

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need to be a period of practical cooperation between the Chinese government, ourselves and the HKG in that sort of way. And no doubt there will be other examples of that kind as well. One of the important features is the whole concept of continuity on the basis of a high degree of autonomy so what we are seeking to achieve is not a changeover but a continuation

in the new circumstances of the governmental arrangements that

already exist. So it won't be quite like a handover. HK exists now as a dependent territory of the Commonwealth but with its own HKG and if it exists after 1997 as an SAR, the

object is to have the same ship broadly speaking sailing

through that period.

Q. Any guarantees of free speech etc?

A. P4 of the statement gives very good checklist of the key

ingredients that we are negotiating about. Continuation of the existing legal system, founded as it is on the common law

with the same kind of judicial arrangements and the same kind

of constitutional assurances are part of what we are seeking

to achieve and they are part, to a large extent, of the prepared objectives of the Chinese as well. But obviously the more precisely they are defined and set out, the greater the

assurance.

Q. What sort of Chinese Govt was it that we negotiated

lease with originally?

A.

It was a somewhat battered, Imperial govt.

DISTRIBUTION

PS

PS/Mr Luce

PS/PUS

Sir Percy Cradock

Dr Wilson

HKD

FED

Planning Staff

News Department

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