TNAG-1357-FCO40-1798-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 111

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CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING

CONFIDENTIAL

TO DESKBY 18103OZ FCO

TELNO 1855

OF 180923Z DECEMBER 25

INFO DESKBY 18103OZ HONG KONG

4-1.

MIPT: LUNCH WITH ZHOU NAN: SPEECHES

HRR 011/1

TOP COPY

410

JINY

23 DEC 1985

AjB 23

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1. TEXT OF ZHOU NAN'S SPEECH IN OUR TRANSLATION IS AS FOLLOWS:

BEGINS

YOUR EXCELLENCY SIR RICHARD EVANS, FRIENDS, COMRADES.

1. TODAY MY COLLEAGUES AND MYSELF HAVE GATHERED HERE TOGETHER

WITH YOUR EXCELLENCY AND OTHER BRITISH FRIENDS TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMAL SIGNATURE OF THE

TWO GOVERNMENTS' JOINT DECLARATION ON THE HONG KONG QUESTION. FOR

THOSE OF US WHO WERE OR ARE DIRECTLEY INVOLVED IN THE DRAFTING

OF THE JOINT DECLARARTION AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION, THIS IS A PART-

ICULARLY HAPPY OCCASION.

2. THE SIGNATURE OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION IS A MAJOR

EVENT OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE. AS PREMIER ZHAO POINTED OUT AT

THE SIGNATURE CEREMONY A YEAR AGO, THE JOINT DECLARATION

SATISFACTORILY RESOLVES THE PROBLEM OF THE RESTORATION TO CHINA

OF THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG AND ALSO PROVIDES A

FIRM BASIS FOR HONG KONG'S LONG TERM PROSPOERITY AND STABILITY.

MOREOVER, IT OFFERS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THE RESOLUTION THROUGH

PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS OF PROBLEMS LEFT OVER FROM HISTORY BETWEEN

ONE COUNTRY AND ANOTHER. AT THAT TIME PRIME MINISTER THATCHER POINTED

OUT THAT THIS DECLARATION WAS A MILESTONE IN THE LIFE OF HONG KONG,

IN THE COURSE OF SINO-BRITISH RELATIONS, AND IN THE HISTORY OF

INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATICE RELATIONS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE

SITUATION A YEAR AFER THE SIGNING OF THE JOINT DECLARATION FULLY

BEARS OUT THE JUDGEMENTS OF THE TWO LEADERS.

3. SINCE THE JOINT DECLARATION WAS SIGNED AND HONG KONG ENTERED THE TRANSITION PERIOD, THE GENERAL SITUATION IN HONG KONG HAS BEEN GOOD. PUBLIC FEELING IN HONG KONG HAS BECOME DAILY MORE STABLE AND THE

ECONOMY HAS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP. THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE TWO

COUNTRIES HAVE CONTINUED TO COOPERATE WELL IN THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE SINO-BRITISH HOINT LIAISON GROUP AND

THE SINO-BRITISH LAND COMMISSION HAVE BEGUN THEIR WORK SMOOTHLY.

AND HAVE ALREADY MADE PROGRESS. THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD START TO THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION.

CONFIDENTIAL

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