TNAG-1324-FCO40-1736-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 49

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THIS COULD

THE ISSUE OF

HMG ARE FULLY AWARE KONG HAS ALREADY BEEN CONCEDED TO CHINA. THAT IT IS NOT IN THEIR POWER TO CONCEDE SOVEREIGNTY. ONLY BE DONE WITH THE CONSENT OF PARLIAMENT. SOVEREIGNTY WILL BE DEALT WITH FULLY IN THE PROPOSALS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL PUT TO THIS HOUSE LATER IN THE YEAR.

THE PACKAGE

OF ARRANGEMENTS WHICH WE BRING TO THE HOUSE THEN MUST BE JUDGED AND WILL BE DECIDED UPON AS A WHOLE.

4.

HMG ARE FULLY AWARE THAT MANY PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE. THIS IS ENTIRELY UNDERSTANDABLE, PARTICULARLY AS IT HAS BEEN NECESSARY FOR US TO RETAIN CONFIDENTIALITY OVER THE CONTENT OF THE TALKS IN PEKING. UNCERTAINTY IS DANGEROUS TO CONFIDENCE.

WITH THIS IN MIND MY

RIGHT HONOURABLE AND LEARNED FRIEND MADE HIS STATEMENT ON 20 APRIL WHICH, WHILE PRESERVING CONFIDENTIALITY, OUTLINED HMG'S AIMS IN THE TALKS. HE EMPHASISED THEN, AND I THINK IT IS WORTH REPEATING AGAIN, THAT WE ARE AIMING TO ENSURE THE MAXIMUM WE ARE SEEKING POSSIBLE CONTINUITY IN HONG KONG IN 1997.

CONTINUITY OF SYSTEMS, CONTINUITY OF PEOPLE'S WAY OF LIFE, CONTINUITY IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND IN THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS ENJOYED BY CIVIL SERVANTS.

5. SEVERAL HON MEMBERS HAVE REFERRED TO THE PRESENCE IN LONDON OF A DELEGATION OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS OF HONG KONG. THE GOVERNMENT GREATLY VALUE THE CONTRIBUTION WHICH THE UNOFFICIALS MAKE, IN THEIR VARIOUS WAYS, TO THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG AND TO THE LIFE OF ITS COMMUNITY. WE FULLY UNDERSTAND THEIR WISH TO EXPRESS THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF HONG KONG OPINION IT IS NATURAL THAT THE HONG KONG PEOPLE SHOULD HAVE CERTAIN ANXIETIES, WHICH WE ARE DOING OUR · BEST TO ALLEVIATE IN CONSULTATION WITH THEM AND THROUGH THE

NEGOTIATIONS.

6.

BUT I SHOUDD LIKE THE HOUSE TO BE CLEAR THAT THE VSSIT OF THE

WERE UNOFFICIALS T LONDON, AND THE ISSUING OF THEIR MANIFESTO, ACTIONS UNDERTAKEN ENTIRELY AT THEIR OWN INITIATIVE.

NEITHER WAS

THE RESULT OF PROMPTING BY HMG OR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OR OF CONSULTATION WITH THEM. THE TEXT OF THE MANIFESTO WAS SHOWN TO US AS A COURTESY, VERY SHORTLY BEFORE PUBLICATION.

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