CONFIDENTIAL
358
TOP COPY
see
394
DD 14010OZ HONG KONG
GRS 1600
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 14010OZ
FM FCO 131520Z DECEMBER 84
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2485 OF 13 DECEMBER
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
MIPT:
6457 1
HKK 040/SZ
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 17 DEC 1984
PICER
PA
така
PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG: SPEECH TO JOINT
SESSION OF EXCO AND LELGCO.
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT TEXT OF SPEECH:
1. THIS EVENING I SPEAK TO YOU ON A MOMENTOUS OCCASION.
YESTERDAY IN PEKING PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG AND I SIGNED THE
SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG.
Acron faken
2. IT IS FITTING THAT THIS HISTORIC DOCUMENT SHOULD HAVE BEEN
SIGNED BY TWO PRIME MINISTERS. THOSE SIGNATURES TESTIFY TO THE
TOTAL COMMITMENT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS TO
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT.
3.
THOSE SIGNATURES ALSO CONCLUDED A PROCESS WHICH BEGAN TWO
YEARS AGO WHEN I VISITED PEKING AND HONG KONG. DURING THOSE TWO
YEARS WE HAVE CONDUCTED TAXING AND COMPLEX NEGOTIATIONS.
4. THE AIM AGREED BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS
WAS TO PRESERVE HONG KONG'S STABILITY AND PROSPERITY. FOR US ON
OUR BRITISH SIDE THIS HAD A VERY SPECIAL MEANING.
5. THROUGHOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS MY FIRST CONCERN WAS THE FUTURE
WELL-BEING OF HONG KONG AND HER PEOPLE.
6. BRITAIN HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR HONG KONG FOR NEARLY 150
YEARS. IT IS AN ASSOCIATION WHICH IS A SOURCE OF JUSTIFIABLE
PRIDE TO US ALL. AND BRITISH ADMINISTRATION HAS PROVIDED THE
NECESSARY LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION FOR WHAT HAS BEEN
ACHIEVED.
-
ESPECIALLY IN THE
7. BUT HONG KONG'S GROWTH AND SUCCESS
POST-WAR YEARS, EVEN IN DIFFICULT TIMES HAS BEEN DUE ABOVE ALL
TO THE REMARKABLE TALENTS AND ENERGY OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE
THEIR CHARACTER, THEIR ACHIEVEMENT HAS BEEN SO STRIKING THAT OUR
PRIME COMMITMENT COULD ONLY BE TO THEM.
1
CONFIDENTIAL
see
377)
Page 90Page 91
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.