TNAG-1325-FCO40-1737-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 16

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of the wishes of the Islanders.

It is encouraging that

.... countries, including a majority of members of the

Commonwealth [and all our Community partners], declined

to vote with Argentina for this Resolution. The

Resolution was passed, but it is of course not binding

on member States. Nor will it in any way affect our

determination to stand by our commitments to the

Islanders.

16. My Lords, the Gracious Speech mentioned two other

Dependent Territories for which we have direct

responsibility.

Over Hong Kong there has been great

progress. The draft agreement initialled in Peking on

26 September is a credit to my Rt Hon Friend the

Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, and reflects the

hard work of the British and Chinese negotiating teams.

After two years of arduous negotiations we have

succeeded in reaching agreement on a detailed package

which should provide the basis for renewed confidence

about the future of Hong Kong. That confidence should

in turn continue to underpin the prosperity of the

territory.

Noble Lords will have an early opportunity

to debate this issue in full when the people of Hong

Kong have had an opportunity to express their views on

the draft agreement.

17. As for Gibraltar, we shall continue to work for

early implementation of the Lisbon statement.

My Rt

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