TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 48

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DD HONG KONG DESKBY 112330Z

GRS 1200

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DESKBY 112330Z

TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

MKKO 40/16

FM FCO 111630Z MAY 84

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INGA

TELEGRAM NUMBER 868 OF 11 MAY

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

14 MAY 1984

18897

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♪ CHILD

MIPT: FUTURE OF HONG KONG: MATERIAL FOR MR LUCE'S SPEECH

DEBATE ON HONG KONG 16 MAY 1984

1. I AM MOST GRATEFUL TO ALL THOSE HONOURABLE MEMBERS WHO HAVE

CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEBATE THEY HAVE DEMONSTRATED A CONCERN FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG THAT WILL, I AM SURE, BE MUCH APPRECIATED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE TERITORY. HONG KONG HAS NO REPRESENTATIVES IN THIS HOUSE, BUT TONIGHT'S DEBATE HAS SHOWN CLEARLY THAT IT

DOES NOT LACK FRIENDS HERE.

2. WHEN HE OPENED THE DEBATE MY RIGHT HONOURABLE AND LEARNED

FRIEND OUTLINED THE APPROACH THAT HMG HAVE BEEN TAKING IN OUR

NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE OVER THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. IN THE LIGHT OF THE ISSUES RAISED DURING THE DEBATE, THERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL POINTS ON THIS THAT I SHOULD LIKE TO MAKE. FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS NO BASIS FOR THE CHARGE THAT HMG HAVE SOLD OUT THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THEIR INTERESTS HAVE CONSTANTLY BEEN AT THE

FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING AND WILL CONTINUE TO

TRY THROUGHOUT THE TALKS TO OBTAIN A DEAL FOR HONG KONG THAT WILL

EFFECTIVELY PRESERVE ITS PROSPERITY AND STABILITY. HMG HAS

ALWAYS STATED CLEARLY THAT ITS AIM IN THE NEGOTIATIONS IS TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG

AS WELL AS TO THIS HOUSE AND THE CHINES GOVERNMENT. BUT ALL

THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS

AND THOSE WHO GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THEM

PROBLEM POSED BY HONG KONG IN A SENSE OF REALISM. THERE IS NO PRECEDENT, NO PARALLEL FOR THE HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG, A TERRITORY 92 PERCENT OF WHICH IS

COVERED BY A LEASE EXPIRING IN 1997.

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THOSE WHO CONDUCT THEM

MUST APPROACH THE UNIQUE

3. THIS BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER CHARGE THAT SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG

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