TNAG-1890-FCO40-2683-Visits-by-Sir-Geoffrey-Howe-and-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretaries-1989 — Page 8

CONFIDENTIAL

057272

MDHIAN 1290

IS

OF UK.

4. BUT WE MUST CONTINUE TO TALK TO CHINA. IN PARTICULAR WE MUST

CONTINUE TO TALK TO CHINA ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. USUALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE JOINT DELCARATION, WE ARE THINKING IN TERMS OF THE OBLIGATIONS THAT IT PUTS ON CHINA FOR THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG. OVERLOOKED BY SOME, BUT NOT I CAN ASSURE YOU BY HMG, THE FACT THAT THERE ARE ALSO OBLIGATIONS ON THE GOVERNMENT

THE WORDS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ARE THAT UP TO 1997 THE

GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE

ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG WITH THE OBJECT OF MAINTAINING AND

PRESERVING ITS ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND SOCIAL STABILITY. WE ARE ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO FULFILLING THAT RESPONSIBILITY. MOREOVER, WE ARE DETERMINED TO KEEP THE CHINESE SIDE UP TO THE MARK IN FULFILLING

THEIR SIDE OF THE AGREEMENT TOWARDS THE SAME END. MEETINGS OF THE

JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN

INAPPROPRIATE IN THE PRESENT CLIMATE TO CONTINUE THEM. BUT WHEN THEY RESUME, AS RESUME THEY MUST, WE WILL BE PURSUING HONG KONG'S INTERESTS AS VIGOROUSLY AS CIRCUMSTANCES CLEARLY REQUIRE.

5. THERE CAN BE NO QUESTION OF RE-NEGOTIATING THE JOINT DECLARATION.

IT REMAINS WHAT IS ALWAYS WAS, A VERY GOOD AGREEMENT FULLY BINDING

ON BOTH SIDES AND REGISTERED WITH THE UNITED NATIONS. BUT IT IS NOW

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT, AND PARTICULARLY THE BASIC LAW, PUTS INTO PRACTICE ALL THE ASSURANCES OF THE AGREEMENT. SOME PARTS OF THE BASIC LAW WILL

HAVE TO BE GIVEN EVEN CLOSER SCRUTINY THAN THEY WERE ALREADY

RECEIVING. UK HAS A CLEAR RIGHT AND A DUTY TO THE PEOPLE OF

HONG KONG TO ENSURE THAT BOTH THE LETTER AND THE SPIRIT OF THE

JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS GUARANTEES ARE EMBODIED IN THE BASIC LAW.

—

6. I NOW COME TO THE CIVIL SERVICE. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE ROLE OF

THE CIVIL SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL IN TAKING HONG KONG FORWARD

DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD AND INTO THE NEXT CENTURY.

MAINTENANCE OF A LOYAL, EFFICIENT CIVIL SERVICE IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL IF BRITAIN IS TO FULFILL ITS RESPONSIBILITY FOR

ADMINISTERING HONG KONG. IT IS ALSO CRUCIAL FOR HONG KONG ITSELF

AND ITS FUTURE. IN RETURN, WE RECOGNISE THE OBLIGATIONS THIS PLACES ON US IN THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO LOOK AFTER YOUR INTERESTS. THE

PROFESSIONALISM AND PERFORMANCE OF THE HONG KONG CIVIL SERVICE IN

THESE TROUBLED TIMES HAVE BEEN MAGNIFICENT. I AM DEEPLY IMPRESSED.

BUT I UNDERSTAND THE PERSONAL STRAINS THAT WILL BE AFFECTING ALL OF

YOU. LOCAL OFFICERS WILL BE CONCERNED ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEIR

FAMILIES. EXPATRIATE OFFICERS WILL ALSO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE

IMPLICATIONS FOR THEIR OWN FUTURE AND THE EFFECT ON THEM OF THE