TNAG-1339-FCO40-1771-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 66

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

DESKBY FCO 141OOOZ

DESKBY PEKING 15010OZ

FM HONG KONG 1409OOZ DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

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HKK 04057 TOP COPY

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3794 OF 14 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

STAY

17 DEC1934

PA

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mount se

MIPT: PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: PRESS CONFERENCE:

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

HMG RESPONSIBILITIES

01. IN VIEW OF THE FEARS AND ANXIETIES EXPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE

OF HONG KONG ABOUT THE AGREEMENT, ARE YOU SATISFIED THAT THE

UK HAS DISCHARGED ITS MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG

KONG.

A1. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT'S PRIME RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FACE OF

THE HISTORICAL PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE EXPIRY OF THE LEASE WAS

TO REACH AN AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG THAT WAS NOT

ONLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS BUT TO

THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG THEMSELVES. THAT WAS THE CENTRAL AIM OF

THE NEGOTIATIONS. I BELIEVE THE ACCEPTABILITY OF THIS REMARKABLE

AND HISTORIC AGREEMENT TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG HAS BEEN AMPLY

DEMONSTRATED NOT ONLY THROUGH THE REPORT OF THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE

BUT IN OTHER WAYS. OF COURSE, FEARS AND ANXIETIES REMAIN: IT

WOULD BE STRANGE IF THEY DID NOT IN SUCH A SITUATION. BUT THESE

HAVE BEEN COMPREHENSIVELY AND CLEARLY EXPRESSED AND ARE VERY WELL

- UNDERSTOOD AND APPRECIATED. BRITAIN'S RESPONSIBILITY DOES NOT END

WITH THE SIGNATURE OF THE AGREEMENT. AS I MADE CLEAR IN MY SPEECH

TO THE JOINT SESSION OF EXCO/LEGCO, BRITAIN WILL CONTINUE TO

DISCHARGE ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG UP TO 1997.

Q2. WHAT STEPS DOES BRITAIN PLAN TO TAKE TO DEMONSTRATE ITS

COMMITMENT TO HONG KONG OVER THE NEXT 12 AND A HALF YEARS?

A2. I HAVE ALREADY PLEGED HMG'S FULLEST EFFORTS TO SECURE THE

FAITHFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT. IN ADDITION, HMG

WILL, THROUGH THE HKG, CONTINUE TO PROVIDE HONG KONG WITH SOULD

ADMINISTRATION DURING THE REMAINING YEARS OF BRITISH RESPONSIBILITY,

ADAPTING THE SYSTEM TO MEET HK'S EVOLVING NEEDS AND IN ACCORDANCE

WITH THE WISHES OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG.

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TALKS ON HK'S FUTURE

Q3. IN YOUR LAST PRESS CONFERENCE IN HK, YOU EMPHASISED THE VALIDITY

OF THE THREE TREATIES GOVERNING HK. WHAT MADE YOU CHANGE YOUR

MIND AND AGREE TO RETURN HK ISLAND AND SOUTH KOWLOON WHICH WERE

CEDED TO BRITAIN IN PERPETUITY BY CHINA?

A3. WHAT WAS EMPHASISED AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THAT THE

CONFIDENTIAL

(HISTORICAL