TNAG-2118-FCO40-3024-Future-of-Hong-Kong-general-1990 — Page 121

Reference..

FILE

12

future general

UK DEPENDENT TERRITORIES: HONG KONG

1.

2.

You asked for a statement of Government policy cn Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong is the United Kingdom's only colony or dependent territory whose people cannot exercise the fundamental right of self determination. The fundamental conditions of the territory's existence are also unique. The lease, on which 92 per cent of the land area (ie the New Territories) is held expires on 30 June 1997. It was therefore imperative to reach an agreement with China to protect as much as possible of the integrity of Hong Kong well ahead of that time. It was in recognition of this unique situation that the British Government entered into negotiations which resulted in the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the question of Hong Kong of 1984.*

CODE 18-77

AKC040/4

RECE

11 APR 1990

TRY

EGISTRY

Action Taken

26 February 1990

CC:

Ms Gallagher, FID

Mr Kirk SED

Ms Cooke, SPD

Mr January, WIAD

-Mr Helland, UND

SUYAMB

Únicole Hausel,

N Hancock (Ms)

Hong Kong Department

WH 305

270 3287