SECRET
an agreement will be observed; they are asking how they can give
their views on the terms of an agreement; some are concerned about
ther 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 British
dependent territory citizens, and their wish to retain that
nationality. I have to say that I do not believe that either this
Parliament or a successor would favour changes which stimulated emigration from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
is a further reason why we are looking for arrangements which would allow Hong Kong people to enter and leave the territory freely and at the same time provide a secure future for them there.
、
That
=
15. Where the timetable of our negotiations is concerned,
SECRET
ཝིནྡྷནྟི རཧཾ ཡ གཙཁ4མནྟཡཎྞཡ ཡ ཡ !ག་གཟན
1
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.