CONFIDENTIAL
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: LEGISLATION ON PRIVILEGES AND
IMMUNITIES FOR JOINT LIAISON GROUP
1.
Members of the Committee will be aware that
negotiations between HMG and the Government of the
People's Republic of China on the future of Hong Kong
have now been successfully concluded (See Cmnd 9352).
The people of Hong Kong are now being given an
opportunity to comment on the draft agreement.
Parliament will debate the agreement, in the light of
their views, in early December; and if approved the
agreement will be signed before the end of the year. The
agreement provides for ratification by 30 June 1985: we
therefore need to prepare legislation urgently to enable
us to ratify by that date.
2.
This
A paper on legislation relating to the Agreement is
being circulated to OD(K) and QL by the SOSFCA.
legislation is principally concerned with the transfer of
sovereignty, but will need to include a provision
granting diplomatic privileges and immunities to the five
Chinese members of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group
CONFIDENTIAL