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FUTURE OF HONG KONG: LEGISLATION
INTRODUCTION
1.
We believe that we will be able
with
to conclude a satisfactory
agreement on Hong Kong the Chinese shortly. We are working to the
following timetable:-
(a) Initialling of agreemebt before the end of September;
(b)
Publication of a White Paper explaining the agreement before
the end of September;
(~)
Assessment of the acceptability of the agreement in Hong Kong,
in October and November;
(d)
(e)
(f)
2.
Debate in Parliament, in the first week of December;
Signature of agreement, before the end of the year;
Ratification by July 1985.
At Chinese insistence, and with the agreement of the Lord
President of the Council, the Lord Privy Seal and the Attorney
General, we have agreed to stipulate in the Joint Declaration that
the agreement will be ratified by July 1984. We will therefore need
rapidly to prepare legislation divesting the UK of sovereignty over
the ceded territories in 1997. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nature of the necessary legislation, and which aspects
of the agreement will need to be covered by legislation before
ratification came take place.
AGREEMENT
3.
The Agreement will consist of:-
(a) A Joint Declaration;
(b)
1997;
Annex 1 setting out Chinese policies towards Hong Kong after
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(c) Annex 2 setting the terms of reference of a Joint Liaison Group
to continue cooperation between the British and Chinese Governments
from the entry into force of the Agreement until the year 2000;
Annex 3 dealing with Land both before and after 1997; and
An
(a)
(e)
associated Exchange of Memoranda between the two governments
on nationality.
These documents have not yet been finalised but the latest versions
of them are attached. With the exception of the exchange of
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