CONFIDENTIAL
DIPLOMAT IC PRIVILEGES AND
PARAGRAPH FOUR OF SCHEDULE:
·
IMMUNITIES FOR THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP
Paragraph 4 of the Schedule accords diplomatic privileges
and immunities to the Chinese
the Chinese members of the Joint Liaison
Group. This is designed to meet our obligation under Annex
ΙΙ
the Joint Declaration which provides for the creation
of a Joint Liaison Group of five British and five Chinese members to meet in London, Peking and Hong Kong. Paragraph
10 of that Annex provides that "members of the Joint Liaison Group shall enjoy diplomatic privileges and
immunities as appropriate when
as appropriate when in the three locations".
accords diplomatic
This section of the Bill therefore
privileges and immunities to the five Chinese members of the group who attend meetings of the Group in London (but
not to supporting staff or "experts" attending meetings of the Group or sub-Groups). Existing legislation would not cover this rather unusual category of representative and we
therefore need to legislate specifically to cover their
case.
Under this paragraph the five Chinese members of the Group will enjoy all the normal privileges and immunities enjoyed
by diplomats attached to an Embassy in London. The
principle privileges and immunities concerned will be:
personal inviolability. They will not be liable to any
form of arrest or detention;
inviolability of residence;
immunity from the criminal and civil jurisdiction of the
course, except where waived;
and exemption from taxation and customs duties.
CONFIDENTIAL