ปี
SECRET
04
F Burrows, Legal Counsellor
15 May 1984
+1KKO 40/50
FROM:
BESLIVLO K
DATE:
17 MAY 1984
MAY
CC:
PS
Trixen
CH2215
Zem.
Mr
cijft,
HKD
PS/Mr Luce
PS/PUS
Sir P Cradock
Sir W Harding
Dr Wilson
Mr Houston
Mr Goulden, News Dept
Mr Walker, Research Dept
FUTURE OF HONG KONG: HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATE ON 16 MAY
1.
I foresee two difficulties in the first three sentences of the revised text which is now incorporated in paragraph 15 of the draft speech for the Secretary of State which is attached
They are 10 to your submission of 14 May.
70
(i)
(ii)
-
that by referring to "binding agreement", and "international understanding" the Secretary of State may invite misunderstanding as to the nature of the document we are negotiating; and
that the Secretary of State might be interpreted as indicating that in the entire context of contemporary world affairs he does not regard it as realistic to negotiate arrangements for the settlement of disputes by judicial or arbitral means.
2. It would remove both of these difficulties if these three sentences could be slightly amended. For ease of reading, I suggest that the whole paragraph would then be as follows
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"Her Majesty's Government are working for a binding international agreement in which arrangements for Hong Kong's continuing prosperity and stability based on a substantial degree of autonomy would be formally recorded. The success of such an agreement can never of course be absolutely guaranteed. Nor do I believe that it would be realistic to try to impose an external regulator on the freedom of the two sovereign states concerned. But history shows that international obligations are most likely to be observed when they coincide with the common interests of both parties. That would be the case over Hong Kong. We look for an agreement which would be recognised as binding by the international community. The international prestige of both countries would be at stake. I have no doubt that
/the
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