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under s.6 of the International Organisations Act 1968. I consider that there would be grave doubts about the vires of such an Order since the Joint Liaison Group is not a conference in any normal meaning of the term. S.6 was not intended to cover a group of this kind, a bilateral group based in Hong Kong/which is to operate continuously over a period of 15 years.
6.
If option (b) in paragraph 4 above is excluded as impractical (we would need China's agreement before the Hong Kong Bill was passed if we were not to miss the boat with the Bill), then I see no safe alternative other than the inclusion of a provision in the Bill as described in option (a) above.
7. You may consider that the IM Committee (Official Cabinet Committee on Privileges and Immunities) should be informed.
1 from 1988
MCwood
3 October 1984
cc Mr Galsworthy, HK Dept
Mr Powell, HK Dept
Sir J Freeland
Mr Darwin
Mr Burrows
M C Wood
Legal Advisers
WH 230 233 4043
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