TNAG-1388-FCO40-1859-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Declaration-1985 — Page 94

CONFIDENTIAL

TOP COPY

HKK 040/12.

28 MAY 1985

118

GRS 450

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 220856Z MAY 85

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 789 OF 22 MAY.

INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

Tor

YOUR TELNO

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RATIFICATION

pal

1. THE FOLLOWING IS THE DRAFT OF MY SPEECH FOR DELIVERY AT THE

CEREMONY FOR THE EXCHANGE OF INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION ON 27 MAY:

7

1. YOUR EXCELLENCY THE VICE MINISTER, WE HAVE JUST EXCHANGED THE

INSTRUMENTS OF RATIFICATION OF OUR TWO GOVERNMENTS OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG. THIS EXCHANGE SIGNIFIES

THE COMPLETION ON BOTH SIDES OF THE LEGAL PROCESS NECESSARY

TO ALLOW THE JOINT DECLARATION TO ENTER INTO FORCE. THE TERMS OF

THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS ANNEXES ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR

HONG KONG TO CONTINE TO ENJOY STABILITY AND PROSPERITY, BOTH

BEFORE 1997 AND THEREAFTER AS A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF

THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA.

2=

THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM AND CHINA IN NEGOTIATING

THE JOINT DECLARATION HAS BEEN WIDELY WELCOMED INTERNATIONALLYC:

BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF MANY COUNTRIES AND BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL

OF THE UNITED NATIONS. THIS IS MOST ENCOURAGING. IT IS ENCOURAGING

IN ITSELF SEMICLN AND IT IS ENCOURAGING BECAUSE INTERNATIONAL GOODWILL WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR THE PROSPERITY AND STABILITY OF

HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE.

3. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT WILL ABIDE STRICTLY BY THE TERMS OF

THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS ANNEXES. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IS

CERTAIN THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT WILL DO LIKEWISE.

4. THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT LOOKS FORWARD TO COOPERATING CLOSELY WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHICH HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH 5 OF

THE JOINT DECLARATION.

CONFIDENTIAL

15. AS

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