TNAG-1332-FCO40-1762-Future-of-Hong-Kong-White-Paper-on-the-Joint-Declaration-1984 — Page 127

OF MEMORANDA.

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VIEWS OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ON THE AGREEMENT

27.

AS RECORDED IN PARA 10 ABOVE, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE

SOUGHT TO SEE WHETHER ON THE BASIS OF PROPOSALS PUT FORWARD BY

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE CONSTRUCTED WHICH

WOULD ENSURE LASTING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY FOR HONG KONG.

THEY HAVE NEGOTIATED ENERGETICALLY AND THEY BELIEVE SUCCESSFULLY

TO SECURE AN AGREEMENT WHICH MEETS THE NEEDS AND WISHES OF THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE BEEN HARD AND LONG,

AND SUBJECT TO THE COMMON AIM OF BOTH SIDES TO MAINTAIN STABILITY

AND PROSPERITY IN HONG KONG. TAKING THE AGREEMENT AS A WHOLE HER

MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ARE CONFIDENT THAT IT DOES PROVIDE A

FRAMEWORK IN WHICH THE STABILITY AND PROSPERITY OF HONG KONG CAN

BE MAINTAINED AFTER 1997 AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

28. THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN INITIALLED BY BOTH SIDES.

THIS REPRESENTS A CERTIFICATION BY THE NEGOTIATORS THAT IT

REPRESENTS ACCURATELY THE OUTCOME OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.

HOWEVER,

AS IS NORMAL WITH INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS NEGOTIATED BETWEEN

NATIONS THERE IS NO REALISTIC POSSIBILITY OF AMENDING THE TEXT.

THE AGREEMENT MUST BE TAKEN AS A WHOLE.

29. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE A DUTY TO MAKE CLEAR BEYOND

ANY POSSIBILITY OF MISUNDERSTANDING THE ALTERNATIVE TO ACCEPTANCE

OF THE AGREEMENT SET OUT IN THIS WHITE PAPER. IN THEIR VIEW,

THERE IS NO POSSIBILITY OF AN AMENDED AGREEMENT. THE ALTERNATIVE

TO ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRESENT AGREEMENT IS TO HAVE NO AGREEMENT.

IN THIS CASE THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE MADE IT PLAIN THAT

NEGOTIATION COULD NOT BE REOPENED AND THAT THEY WOULD PUBLISH

THEIR OWN PLAN FOR HONG KONG. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT SUCH A

UNILATERAL PLAN WOULD INCLUDE ALL THE ELEMENTS INCLUDED IN THE

DRAFT AGREEMENT, NOR WOULD IT HAVE THE SAME STATUS AS A LEGALLY

BINDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. WHETHER OR NOT

THERE IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE

CHINESE GOVERNMENT THE NEW TERRITORIES WILL REVERT TO CHINA ON 1

JULY 1997 UNDER THE TERMS OF THE 1898 CONVENTION OF PEKING.

REMAINDER OF HONG KONG (HONG KONG ISLAND, KOWLOON AND

THE

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