TNAG-2031-FCO40-2894-Visit-by-Douglas-Hurd--Secretary-of-State-for-Foreign-and-Co-1990 — Page 83

We

Let me emphasise one thing. There is no question of the British Government just sitting back and letting the clock tick towards 1997. It is no part of our policy to go for the easy options.

Shall will not flinch from taking difficult decisions when these are

necessary.

–

I am

I mentioned just now that there are no precedents or models for "one country two systems That's true. But we do have the

framework of the Sino British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong.

proud to have been a member of the Government which signed that

Agreement. I have always believed that it was the best deal that

could have been secured for Hong Kong. Of course it has its

critics. But to these people I say: "Can you honestly suggest any

better alternative? Do you really believe that if a better agreement was on offer we would not have taken it?"

The Joint Declaration is a very good framework. But it would be

nonsense to pretend that the Agreement marks the end of our problems. The challenge now is to turn the Joint Declaration into reality. That means working on matters of meticulous technical

detail. It also means negotiating firmly and tenaciously on matters

of principle. We are committed to this task. The recent arrival in Hong Kong of the British Senior Representative on the Joint Liaison. Group, Mr Galsworthy is a further demonstration of this commitment.

It is however self evident that either the Joint Declaration, nor the work of the Joint Liaison Group, can by themselves sustain confidence in Hong Kong. That is why I announced on 20 December a package of measures designed to encourage people in all walks of life in the community to remain in the territory. This package is

the result of a considerable amount of work by the British

Government, in consultation with the Hong Kong Government. We have

done our very best to devise a scheme which tackles as fairly and effectively as possible the problem of emigration of talented people

from Hong Kong.

of comme

I know that many people here would have preferred the numbers

ALKAAO