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In Confidence
DSR 11C (Revised 5/87)
tragic events, confidence in Hong Kong has been severely
shaken. No one is more dismayed or angry than I
am at
the damage done in the name of China to the faith and
confidence of all of us who have laboured hard over the
years to construct a solid relations with the People's
Republic of China and to build a secure future for Hong
Kong. But despite the deplorable events in Peking, the
underlying reality remains that 92% of Hong Kong's
territory must revert to Chinese sovereinty in 1997 under
the terms of the original lease and the remaining 8%
would simply not be viable on its own. The Joint
Declaration reflects our determination to secure the best
possible agreement for Hong Kong in the face of that
reality. It is clearly better that Hong Kong should be
returned to China with all the safeguards contained in
the Joint Declaration than without them.
3.
In their report published on 30 June, the Select
Committee on Foreign Affairs described the Joint
Declaration as "the best and surest treaty base for the
future of Hong Kong". The official members of Hong
Kong's Executive and Legislative Councils (OMELCO) have
also endorsed that view. The Joint Declaration spells
out the kind of future we want for Hong Kong ie the
preservation of Hong Kong's capitalist system, links with
the outside world and basic rights and freedoms for at
least 50 years. There is no case for scrapping it, or
attempting to unravel if for there is no certainty that
we would end up with a better agreement for Hong Kong
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