(73
PP HONG KONG
GRS 400
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO 06174OZ NOV 84
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
07 NOV 1984
DESK OFFICER
REGISTRY
Action Taken
INDEX
TELEGRAM NUMBER 2190 OF 6 NOVEMBER
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
PA
Jar
YOUR TELNO 3387: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: LEGISLATION
1.
THE ASSUMPTION IN THE FIRST SENTENCE OF TUR IS CORRECT.
WE AIM TO MAKE ORDERS FOR THE MODIFICATION OF LAWS SUBJECT TO
ANNULMENT PROCEDURES IN PARLIAMENT. IF PRESSURE EMERGES TO MAKE
THEM SUBJECT TO THE POSITIVE RESOLUTION PROCEDURE WE SHALL BE
ABLE TO ACCEPT. WE SHALL BE ABLE TO RATIFY THE JOINT DECLARATION
WITHOUT THE PRIOR MAKING OF ANY SUCH ORDERS.
2.
INSTRUCTIONS TO PARLIAMENTARY COUNSEL ARE BEING PREPARED
PIECEMEAL AND ARE UNDERGOING CONSTANT REVISION. THEY ARE ALSO STILL SUBJECT TO AGREEMENT BY MINISTERS ON THE OVERALL APPROACH WHICH THEY WILL ENSHRINE. WITH THAT QUALIFICATION, WE CAN CONFIRM THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS ON MODIFICATION OF STATUTES ARE AT PRESENT
UNCHANGED FROM PARAGRAPH 9-12 OF THE DRAFT CONTAINED IN OUR TELNO 2112, EXCEPT THAT THE FOLLOWING PASSAGE HAS BEEN ADDED AT
THE END OF PARA 11:
BEGINS
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IN THE FIELD OF CIVIL AVIATION. IT HAS BEEN
AGREED THAT HONG KONG SHOULD HAVE A LARGE DEGREE OF AUTONOMY IN
CIVIL AVIATION MATTERS IN THE PERIOD UP TO 1997. IN PARTICULAR
IT HAS BEEN DECIDED THAT AIRLINES SUCH AS CATHAY PACIFIC SHOULD NO LONGER BE REQUIRED TO OBTAIN AN AIR TRANSPORT LICENCE FROM THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY UNDER SECTION 64 OF THE CIVIL
AVIATION ACT 1982. IT WILL THUS BE NECESSARY TO AMEND SECTION 64(2) OF THAT ACT TO PROVIDE THAT 'RELEVANT OVERSEAS TERRITORY' (WHICH IS DEFINED IN SECTION 105(1))DOES NOT INCLUDE HONG KONG.
ENDS
3. THE SECTION ON NATIONALITY IN THE DRAFT INSTRUCTION IS AT PRESENT BEING CLEARED WITH THE HOME OFFICE, AND WE SHALL TELEGRAPH
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CONFIDENTIAL