HKD
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; and
Turks and Caicos Islands.
are
Few are rich in natural resources, and some are scattered groups of
islands. There
British inhabitants in the permanent no Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia or the South Sandwich Islands.
Britain's policy is to give independence to those dependencies
that want it and where it is practicable to do so.
The Falkland Islands are the subject of a territorial claim by Argentina but the inhabitants wish to retain the link with Britain. The Government is committed to the defence of the Islanders' right to live under a government of their own choosing. The Islanders' right of self-determination is set out in the 1985 Falkland Islands
Constitution.
Gibraltar is the subject of a territorial claim by Spain. Britain wishes to see the development of practical co-operation between Gibraltar and Spain to the benefit of both peoples and
to honouring remains committed
the wishes of the people
of
Gibraltar as to their future, as
as set out in the 1969 Gibraltar
Constitution.
Hong Kong
In 1984 an agreement was signed between Britain and the People's
19290f
XX Republic of China on the future of Hong Kong, which is leased from
which
China until 1997. Under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, was ratified by the two governments in 1985, Britain is responsible for the administration of Hong Kong until 30 June 1997. Hong Kong will then become a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, but its capitalist system and lifestyle will remain unchanged for at least 50 years. With the exception of foreign affairs and defence, the Hong Kong SAR will enjoy a high degree of autonomy and its government and legislature will be composed of Hong Kong
people.
In 1990 the British Government announced that the Hong Kong Government would introduce 18 directly elected seats into the 60- seat Legislative Council in 1991. Elections to these seats took
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