VS076/84
918184
AISON AND CONSULTATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE NECESSARY AFTER
1997. THE GROUP WILL THEREFORE
2000.
CONTINUE ITS WORK UP TO THE YEAR
I SAID IN APRIL THAT WE WERE WORKING TO A PROGRAMME WHICH TAKES ACCOUNT OF CHINA'S WISHES AND OF OUR OWN REQUIREMENTS. UNDER THIS
ROGRAMME, WE AIM TO COMPLETE OUR WORK AND INITIAL AN AGREEMENT BEFORE THE END OF SEPTEMBER.
THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL WANT TO SEE THE FULL TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT AND ANNEXES AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT THEY HAVE TIME
TO CONSIDER IT.
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THERE WILL BE A PERIOD FOR EXPLANATION DISCUSSION AND DEBATE. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF HONG KONG OPINION WERE ANNOUNCED A FORTNIGHT AGO. THIS IS A VITAL PART OF THE PROGRAMME. WHEN THIS ASSESSMENT HAS BEEN MADE, IT WILL THEN BE FOR PARLIAMENT TO DEBATE THE AGREEMENT, TAKING FULL ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN HONG KONG. IF PARLIAMENT AGREES, THE AGREEMENT WILL BE SIGNED BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
FROM WHAT I HAVE SAID, YOU WILL SEE THAT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED. I BELIEVE IT HOLDS OUT THE PROSPECT OF AN HISTORIC AGREEMENT AN AGREEMENT WHICH WILL PROVIDE FOR A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY, AND UNDER WHICH HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS ITS DISTINCTIVE WAY OF LIFE AND ITS POSITION AS A FINANCIAL TRADING AND INDUSTRIAL CENTRE, WILL BE SECURED.
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CONFIDENT
THOUGH THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE, I AM THAT WE ARE ON COURSE FOR A CONCLUSION WE SHALL BE ABLE TO COMMEND BOTH TO THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG AND TO THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT.
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THE FOLLOWING WERE AMONG QUESTIONS TO AND ANSWERS BY, THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH SECRETARY AT HIS PRESS CONFERENCE IN HONG KONG TODAY 1 AUGUST 1984:
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QUESTION: (IN EFFECT, ARE THE AGREEMENT AND ANNEXES EQUALLY
BINDING?)
ANSWER: BY FOREIGN SECRETARY: I MADE IT VERY CLEAR IN MY STATEMENT THAT THE AGREEMENT AND THE ANNEXES WHICH WILL CONTAIN ALL THE PROVISIONS I HAVE BEEN DESCRIBING WILL BE EQUALLY BINDING IN AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT, AND AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT IS OF COURSE THE HIGHEST FORM OF COMMITMENT POSSIBLE BETWEEN SOVEREIGN STATES.
QUESTION: CON BRITISH INVOLVEMENT AFTER 1997).
ANSWER: THE YEAR 2000 IS THE YEAR UP TO WHICH IT HAS BEEN AGREED THE GROUP WILL CONTINUE INTO EXISTENCE. IT WILL HAVE THE SAME FUNCTIONS AFTER 1997 AS BEFORE 997 UP TO THAT DATE. IT WILL ENABLE BOTH SIDES INCLUDING GREAT BRITAIN AFTER 1997 UNTIL 2000, TO CONTINUE TO CONSULT ABOUT THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT AND IS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE THAT THE GROUP WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME FUNCTIONS DURING THAT PERIOD AS IT HAS HAD BEFORE.
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QUESTION: CON THE GREEN PAPER ON DEMOCRITISATION IN HONG KONG).
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ANSWER: AS YOU KNOW, THE GREEN PAPER HAS BEEN PUBLISHED AND IS STILL BEING CONSIDERED WITHIN HONG KONG IT OUTLINES THE CHANGES IN THE ARRANGEMENTS THAT ARE VISUALIZED DURING THE YEARS IMMEDIATELY AHEAD THERE HAS BEEN NO DISCUSSION OF THE GREEN PAPER IN PEKING BUT I HAVE DRAWN ATTENTION IN MY STATEMENT TO THE FACT THAT IT IS VISUALIZED THAT AFTER 1997, HONG KONG PEOPLE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO GOVERN HONG KONG.
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