TNAG-1326-FCO40-1738-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-debates-1984 — Page 30

GRS250

UNCLASSIFIED

FROM PEKING 120611Z DEC 84

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 2956 OF 12/12/84

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG

عاطف.

176

HICK

RECEIVED IN REGISTRy

040/31

INDEX

12 DEC 1984

* OFFICER

OK MY

PA

Action Taken

PEKING TEL NO 2920: HONG KONG AGREEMENT:

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

1. PEOPLE'S DAILY OF 12 DECEMBER REPORTED ON PAGE 1

THE DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS ON 10 DECEMBER.

AS WITH THE COMMONS DEBATE (TUR REFERS) IT WAS

REPORTED THAT THE LORDS HAD UNANIMOUSLY PASSED'' THE

JOINT DECLARATION. THE REPORT NOTED THAT THE NECESSARY PROCEDURES

OF APPROVAL FOR THE PRIME MINISTER TO COME TO CHINA FOR THE FORMAL SIGNATURE OF THE JOINT DECLARATION HAD THUS BEEN COMPLETED.

IT ALSO NOTED THAT THE GREAT AJORITY OF THOSE WHO HAD SPOKEN

IN BOTH HOUSES HAD CONSIDERED THE JOINT DECLARATION TO BE

A HISTORIC DOCUMENT AND ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS' TO BE

A WISE AND FAR-SIGHTED CONCEPT.

2. THE REPORT QUOTED LADY YOUNG AS SAYING THAT THE AGREEMENT

PROVIDED A ''SOLID BASE' FOR HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY

AND STABILITY INTO THE NEXT CENTURY. IT ALSO NOTED

THAT SHE HAD CONSIDERED THAT THERE WAS NO REASON TO

DOUBT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WOULD HONOUR THEIR OBLIGATIONS

UNDER THE AGREEMENT.

3. LORD MACLEHOSE'S REMARKS WERE ALSO REPORTED BRIEFLY.

HE HAD EXPRESSED ADMIRATION FOR THE INSIGHT AND COURAGE** SHOWN

BY CHINESE LEADERS IN RESOLVING THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, AND HAD EMPHASISED THAT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE JOINT DECLARATION

WENT FAR BEYOND THE PROBLEM IT HAD ITSELF SOLVED.

4. NO REPORT APPEARED IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE CHINA DAILY

EVANS

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARDING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

COPIES TO: (VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR. CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE MR COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195

!

Page 30Page 31

Mr Galsworthy,

Mr Hum, HKD

HKD

Mr Powell, HKD

Mrs Priest, HKD

Mrs Jennings, HKD