GR 900
CONFIDENTIAL
CON.IDENTIAL COPY 040/2
DESKBY 10090OZ (FCO, HONGAID, PEKING)
FM HONG KONG 10082OZ JAN 85
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 80 OF 10 JANUARY
¡OJAN 1985
INDEX
"A
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PEKING, HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES BRUSSELS, WASHINGTON, GENEVA AND CG NEW YORK
MIPT: HONG KONG BILL : PRESS RELEASE
FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF OUR DRAFT PRESS RELEASE:
BEGINS.
THE HONG KONG BILL
1. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE HONG KONG BILL WAS PUBLISHED IN LONDON A SHORT WHILE AGO, FOLLOWING ITS FIRST READING IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. (A TEXT OF THE BILL AND AN EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM FOLLOWS/IS ATTACHED.)
1
2. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL IS TO IMPLEMENT THE SINO-BRITISH AGREEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG WHICH WAS SIGNED BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, MRS. MARGARET THATCHER AND THE CHINESE PREMIER, MR. ZHAO ZIYANG IN PEKING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984. BOTH SIDES WILL NOW MOVE TO BRING THE AGREEMENT INTO FORCE. AS PART OF THAT PROCESS THE BRITISH SIDE NEEDS TO ENACT LEGISLATION IN CRDER TO BE ABLE TO RATIFY THE AGREEMENT BEFORE 30 JUNE 1985, AS PROVIDED FOR IN PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION''.
↑
3. THE HONG KONG BILL PROVIDES FOR THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE CEDED PARTS OF HONG KONG, AND THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH JURISDICTION OVER THE WHOLE TERRITORY WITH EFFECT FROM 1ST JULY 1997.
4. ''THE BILL ALSO INCLUDES A PROVISION SEEKING AUTHORITY FOR HMG TO INTRODUCE AT A LATER DATE AN ORDER OR ORDERS IN COUNCIL TO CREATE THE NEW FORM OF BRITISH NATIONALITY REFERRED TO IN THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE AGREEMENT, AND TO TAKE OTHER MEASURES CONSEQUENTIAL UPON OR CONNECTED WITH THIS. THESE INCLUDE THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN STATUS FOR THOSE PERSONS WHO ON 30 JUNE 1997 POSSESS IT BY VIRTUE OF THEIR CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG AND MEASURES TO PREVENT PEOPLE BECOMING STATELESS AS A RESULT OF THESE CHANGES."
CONFIDENTIAL
20
15.