TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 149

OO PEKING

GRS 700

SECRET

FM FCO 161600Z MAR 84

TO IMMEDIATE PEKING

TELEGRAM NUMBER 234 OF 16 MARCH

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

+

SECRET

23A

amended.

The version was subsegmenty

MKK040/31

"RECEIVEL IN SON AT

2624

6767 1

Acyon Take a

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:

:

MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

PARLIAMENTARY STATEMENTS

HOUSE OF COMMONS FOREIGN AFFAIRS DEBATE: SPPECH BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE:

BEGINS:

1.

OUR CONFIDENTIAL TALKS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARE CONTINU- ING THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS IN PEKING. TEN ROUNDS HAVE NOW BEEN HELD IN THE SECOND, MORE DETAILED PHASE OF TALKS WHICH BEGAN LAST JULY. SQUARE BRACKETS BEGIN THE LATEST ROUND (16/17 MARCH), LIKE ITS PREDECESSOR, WAS DESCRIBED BY BOTH SIDES AS USEFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE. THE NEXT WILL BE ON 26/27 MARCH SQUARE BRACKETS END BOTH WE AND THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT CONTINUE TO ATTACH THE HIGHEST IMPORTANCE TO THE TALKS.

2. THE TALKS ARE TAKING PLACE IN A GOOD ATMOSPHERE AND ARE COVERING MUCH DETAILED GROUND. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE. IN OUR DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINESE WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK REALISTICALLY AT THE HONG KONG QUESTION FROM EVERY ANGLE TO SEE HOW THE TERRITORY'S CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, THE AGREED COMMON AIM OF THE TALKS, MIGHT BEST BE ENSURED. WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN ARRANGEMENT WHICH IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF HONG KONG. WE BELIEVE THAT THE JOINT OBJECTIVE OF THE TALKS, AND OUR GOOD RELATIONS WITH CHINA, WILL HELP US TO ACHIEVE A SATISFACTORY NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT. THIS IS OUR GOAL. WE ARE RECEPTIVE TO ANY PROPOSALS FOR HONG KONG'S FUTURE WHICH WOULD ENSURE CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY AND BE ACCEPTABLE TO PARLIAMENT, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

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