TNAG-1313-FCO40-1688-Future-of-Hong-Kong-views-and-involvement-of-Australia--Cana-1984 — Page 160

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DESKBY FCO 2605OOZ

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DESKBY PEKING 26050OZ

DESKBY CANBERRA 2605OOZ

DESKBY UKMIS NEW YORK 2605OOZ

FM HONG KONG 260455Z SEP 34

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3042 OF 26 SEPTEMBER

TOP COPY

LIKKO 406 LIKK0406

26 SEP 1984

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING, CANBERRA, UKMIS NEW YORK (FOR SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY)

REGISTRY

on Taken

22/10. GRY/10

MY TELNO 3039: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: PUBLIC STATEMENTS

1. THE AUSTRALIAN COMMISSION IN HONG KONG HAVE GIVEN US THE

TEXT OF A STATEMENT BY THE AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER RELEASED

AT 030OZ TODAY, 26 SEPTEMBER.

IT READS AS FOLLOWS:

TI THE GOVERNMENT WELCOMES THE AGREEMENT THAT HAS BEEN REACHED BY THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG.

I CONGRATULATE BOTH GOVERNMENTS ON HAVING ACHIEVED THIS

SETTLEMENT.

IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF

INTENSIVE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE RESULTED IN A DETAILED AGREEMENT BEING REACHED WITH THE DECLARED OBJECT OF MAINTAINING

CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND ENSURING ITS CONTINUED STABILITY AND PROSPERITY.

IT HAS BEEN MY FIRMLY AND CONSISTENTLY HELD VIEW,

A VIEW STRENGTHENED BY MY VISIT TO HONG KONG AND PARTICULARLY

BY MY DISCUSSIONS WITH PREMIER ZHAO IN PEKING IN FEBRUARY

THIS YEAR, THAT THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED KINGDOM

AND CHINA WOULD RESULT IN AN AMICABLE AND SENSIBLE AGREEMENT

WHICH WOULD ALLOW HONG KONG TO CONTINUE TO FUNCTION IN CONDITIONS ACCEPTABLE TO ALL THE PARTIES.

AUSTRALIA HAS IMPORTANT INTERESTS IN HONG KONG AND

IN HONG KONG'S CONTINUING TO PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR REGION. THE AGREEMENT THAT HAS NOW BEEN REACHED, AND THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR CONTINUING CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE PARTIES INVOLVED IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE, WILL MAKE

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/AN

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