TNAG-1342-FCO40-17722-Visit-by-Margaret-Thatcher--UK-Prime-Minister--to-Beijing-fo-1984 — Page 7

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FM HONG KONG 27093OZ DEC 24

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3868 OF 27 DECEMBER

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RECEIVED IN REMATRY 27 DEC 1984

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Action Taken

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, WASHINGTON,

CG NEW YORK, BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA

FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES.

HKG/GT/35: VISIT BY PRIME MINISTER AND SECRETARY OF STATE TO

HONG KONG.

1. FOLLOWING THE SIGNATURE OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION IN PEKING, THE PRIME MINISTER, MRS MARGARET THATCHER, AND THE SECRETARY OF STATE, SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, VISITED HONG KONG FROM 20 TO 21 DECEMBER.

2. DURING THE VISIT MRS THATCHER AND SIR GEOFFREY HOWE MET THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND A WIDE CROSS SECTION OF HONG KONG PEOPLE. MRS THATCHER VISITED A PUBLIC HOUSING ESTATE ON APLICHAU AND SIR GEOFFREY HOWE ATTENDED A MEETING OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. MRS THATCHER ADDRESSED A JOINT SESSION OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS ON THE

EVENING OF 20 DECEMBER.

LINE TO TAKE

3. TRANSCRIPTS OF MRS THATCHER'S ADDRESS TO THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS AND OF HER PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE MORNING OF 21 DECEMBER HAVE BEEN SENT TO YOU. ARISING FROM THESE YOU

SHOULD MAKE THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

(A) MRS THATCHER STRESSED THE STRONG COMMITMENT OF HER MAJESTY'S

GOVERNMENT TO DO ITS UTMOST TO ENSURE THAT THE AGREEMENT WORKS. SHE REVEALED THAT SHE HAD RECEIVED SIMILAR ASSURANCES FROM

THE MOST SENIOR CHINESE LEADERS INCLUDING PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG

AND CHAIRMAN DENG XIAOPING.

(9) PREMIER ZHAO TOLD MRS THATCHER THAT IN THE DRAFTING OF THE BASIC LAW THE VIEWS OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WOULD BE SOLICITED ON A WIDE BASIS. THE BASIC LAW WOULD BE DRAFTED AND PROMULGATED

NOT LATER THAN 1990.

(C) MRS THATCHER PLEDGED HMG'S EARNEST EFFORTS IN THE YEARS TO

1997 TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG CONTINUES TO HAVE A STABLE AND RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT ADMINISTERING THE TERRITORY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERESTS AND WISHES OF ITS PEOPLE.

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