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DD CANBERRA 241800Z
SECRET
НКК
040/6
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INDEX
2 5 SEP 1984
TOP COP
PA
1
Action Taken
GR 2/ud
5139 1
GRS
SECRET
DESKBY 241800Z
FM FCO 241405Z SEP 84
TO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
TELEGRAM NUMBER 844 OF 24 SEPTEMBER 1984
INFO HONG KONG AND PEKING, UKMIS NEW YORK (FOR PS)
OUR TELNO 837 : FUTURE OF HONG KONG : BRIEFING OUR ALLIES
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF MESSAGE FROM PRIME MINISTER TO MR HAWKE
WHICH YOU SHOULD DELIVER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
BEGINS
1.
AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN TOUGH AND DETAILED
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG SINCE
MY VISIT TO PEKING IN 1982. WE HAVE KEPT YOUR PEOPLE REGULARLY
BRIEFED. WE HAVE NOW AGREED THE TEXT OF A DRAFT AGREEMENT WHICH
WILL BE INITIALLED ON 26 SEPTEMBER. I AM ARRANGING FOR OUR
HIGH COMMISSIONER TO LET YOU HAVE A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT.
2.
OUR AIM HAS BEEN TO SECURE THE BEST POSSIBLE FRAMEWORK
WITHIN WHICH HONG KONG'S UNIQUE AND HIGHLY DEVELOPED SOCIAL,
LEGAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS CAN BE MAINTAINED AND DEVELOPED.
THE AGREEMENT MEETS OUR ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS. IT WILL BE A
BINDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, IT DESCRIBES WITH SUFFICIENT
DETAIL AND CLARITY THE HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY WHICH HONG KONG
WILL CONTINUE TO ENJOY AFTER 1997 AND THE SPECIFIC ARRANGEMENTS
WHICH WILL PREVAIL THERE FOR 50 YEARS THEREAFTER, AND IT STATES
THAT ITS TERMS WILL BE STIPULATED IN A BASIC LAW OF THE HONG KONG
SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA,
WHICH WILL BE PASSED BY THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS, AND WILL,
IN EFFECT, FORM THE CONSTITUTION OF HONG KONG AFTER 1997.
3. THE AGREEMENT IS ONE WHICH I SHALL COMMEND STRONGLY TO THE
PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND TO PARLIAMENT.
4.
I WANTED TO WRITE TO YOU PERSONALLY TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT
HAS BEEN ACHIEVED, IN VIEW OF AUSTRALIA'S PARTICULARLY CLOSE
INTEREST IN HONG KONG. THE AUSTRALIAN CONTRIBUTION TO THE
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