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Secret
DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
At present opinions in Hong Kong are divided about these
matters. I very much hope that in the coming months a
clear view will emerge so that the Drafting Committee can
take proper account of this.
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In Confidence
Britain
I believe the facts speak for themselves.
has not failed to live up to its obligations to Hong
Kong: it is carrying out its obligations to the full and
will continue to do so. Britain has not broken any
full.
promises: it has honoured each and every undertaking
given to the people of Hong Kong. And it is not true
that the Joint Declaration has been quietly relegated to
history: it is a vital element in Hong Kong's future.
We are working hard to ensure that it is implemented in
We have been engaged in a fruitful dialogue with
the Chinese authorities over the drafting of the Basic
Law and I have been encouraged by the improvements
recently made to the first draft which go a long way to
meeting many of the concerns of Hong Kong people.
process of dialogue, consultation and revision is
continuing: I am confident that it can and will succeed.
The
A careful and objective analysis of the facts leads
to precisely the opposite conclusion from that reached by
your editorial. Hong Kong's future can be secured, not
by confrontation or by the politics of defeat and
despair, but through constructive dialogue and meticulous
hard work. That is the path to which we are committed.
That is the path which I believe will lead to a stable
and prosperous future for Hong Kong.
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