TNAG-1983-FCO40-2816-Presentation-of-UK-policy-on-Hong-Kong-to-the-media-1989 — Page 25

to re-assess our judgement of yesterday that Hong Kong has good reason to feel pleased with the pact".

ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1 OCTOBER 1984, FRANK CHING, Hong Kong

clears the first hurdle

"The Joint Declaration is a fine document. The document initialled

in Peking last Wednesday ..... is being widely hailed here as much better than expected. It puts flesh on the vague Chinese declarations of the past two years to keep all of Hong Kong's systems "basically unchanged" for 50 years".

HONG KONG STANDARD, EDITORIAL, 1 OCTOBER 1984.

"

there is no denying an historic solution has been found for a

complex problem dating back a century and more. The treaty bodes

well not only for Hong Kong but the world".

FEER, 4 OCTOBER 1984, Comment

surpasses

"The Joint Declaration initialled on 26 September

anything the people of Hong Kong could reasonably have expected at

any time in the past two years of negotiations.

The documents provide the most solid possible foundation on which

the community of Hong Kong and those who trade with and invest in

Hong Kong can go on building prosperity.

....in the aftermath of all doubts expressed about the extent of the

British diplomatists' gut commitment to the future welfare of the

5.5 million people of Hong Kong, the sheer professionalism of the

team must be acknowledged".

FEER, 4 OCTOBER 1984, Initialled, sealed and delivered

"All told, the terms of the agreement must be adjudged excellent".