TNAG-1325-FCO40-1737-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 177

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STATUS OF THE TWO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

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THE EXECUTIVE

COUNCIL AND THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MIGHT BE DEVELOPED IN THE

YEARS TO COME. FOR ITS PART, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE, UP TO 1997, A FIRM FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH THE HONG KONG

GOVERNMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE, CAN ADMINISTER

THE TERRITORY AND PLAN FOR ITS FUTURE.

11. AS THEY CONTEMPLATE THE FUTURE THE HONG KONG PEOPLE

NATURALLY HAVE QUESTIONS IN THEIR MINDS. THEY ARE LOOKING FOR

ASSURANCES THAT AN AGREEMENT WILL BE OBSERVED: THEY ARE ASKING

HOW THEY CAN GIVE THEIR VIEWS ON THE TERMS OF AN AGREEMENT: SOME

ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR NATIONALITY STATUS. I SHALL ADDRESS THESE

QUESTIONS IN TURN.

12. IT MUST BE SAID THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN AGREEMENT CAN

NEVER BE ABSOLUTELY GUARANTEED. BUT THERE ARE VERY POWERFUL

INCENTIVES WORKING FOR THE UPHOLDING OF AN AGREEMENT ON HONG

KONG.

FIRST THERE IS THE FACT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL PRESTIGE OF

TWO SOVEREIGN GOVERNMENTS, PARTIES TO A BINDING AGREEMENT, WOULD

BE AT STAKE. SECOND THERE IS THE COMMON INTEREST OF BOTH

PARTIES, PUBLICLY AFFIRMED, IN HONG KONG'S CONTINUED SUCCESS.

THIRD THERE ARE THE EXCELLENT RELATIONS WHICH EXIST BETWEEN

BRITAIN AND CHINA. THESE WOULD UNDERPIN OUR OBJECTIVE OF A

BINDING INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, IN WHICH ARRANGEMENTS FOR

HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY, BASED ON A HIGH

DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, WOULD BE FORMALLY RECORDED.

13. OUR CONSULTATION WITH THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAS BEEN A

CONTINUOUS PROCESS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE NEGOTIATIONS. IT

TAKES MANY AND VARIED FORMS. SUCH DEBATES AS THIS ONE ALLOW THE

PROCESS TO BE INTENSIFIED AND TAKEN AHEAD ON A MORE INFORMED

BASIS. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO TAKE HONG KONG VIEWS FULLY INTO

ACCOUNT. IN DUE COURSE THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL HAVE A FULL

OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEIR VIEWS KNOWN ON THE TERMS OF AN

AGREEMENT. WE ARE CONSIDERING ACTIVELY WHAT METHOD MIGHT BE

ADOPTED: BUT I HAVE TO SAY NOW THAT A REFERENDUM WOULD HAVE VERY

REAL DRAWBACKS.

14.

THE GOVERNMENT UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE IN HONG

KONG WITH BRITISH NATIONALITY, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE

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