CONFIDENTIAL
DURING THE YEAR THE BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED BY THE NATIONAL PEOPLES CONGRESS OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND ITS VARIOUS SPECIALIST GROUPS HAVE DISCUSSED MANY ISSUES WHICH ARE KEY TO THE POLITICAL STRUCTURE IN THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1997 AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AND THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. THE BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE HAS BEEN ABLE TO REFLECT THE VIEWS OF A WIDE SPECTRUM OF HONG KONG PEOPLE AND THERE HAS ALSO BEEN LIVELY DEBATE ELSEWHERE AND IN THE MEDIA. IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO PROMULGATE THE BASIC LAW: PUT HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT AND THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WILL NEED TO KEEP THE DISCUSSIONS ON IT CONSTANTLY IN MIND. AS 1 SAID LAST YEAR I AM SURE THAT THE TWO GOVERNMENTS WILL BE ALIVE, AT ALL TIMES, TO THE CONCERNS AND VIEWS OF THE OTHER, AS WELL AS TO THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. THIS IS THE BEST FORMULA FOR MAINTAINING CONFIDENCE AND ENSURING A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997.
ONE SMALL CHANGE WE PROPOSE TO MAKE NOW. IN FUTURE WE SHALL NOT, IN GENERAL, USE THE TITLE UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, WHICH CAN BE MISLEADING TO THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH ITS OPERATIONS. ALL ARE MEMBERS OF THE SAME COUNCIL. TO ACCOMMODATE THIS CHANGE IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT, IN FUTURE, OMELCO: THE OFFICE OF MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE COUNCILS, SHALL REPLACE UMELCO.
(4) IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION
A STEADY RECORD OF FAITHFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING CONFIDENCE IN THE AGREEMENT. I HAVE ALREADY MENTIONED THE NEW GATT ARRANGEMENT. PROGRESS HAS ALSO BEEN MADE IN INTRODUCING THE NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT.
(A) NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS
THE HONG KONG (BRITISH NATIONALITY) ORDER 1986 PROVIDES THAT PERSONS WHO ARE BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZENS BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG MAY APPLY FOR A BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT BEFORE 1 JULY 1997. THE NEW PASSPOPT WILL BE INTRODUCED FROM 1 JULY 1997 AND HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAS ALREADY BEGUN FORMAL APPROACHES TO THIRD COUNTRIES IN A MAJOR EFFORT TO ENSURE INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF THE NEW DOCUMENT. FOLLOWING STRONG REPRESENTATIONS BY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED THAT THE NEW PASSPORT WILL STATE THAT ITS HOLDERS DO NOT REQUIRE AN ENTRY CERTIFICATE OR VISA TO VISIT THE UNITED KINGDOM.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS REACHED AGREEMENT THAT THE BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORT WILL INCLUDE AN ENDORSEMENT INDICATING THAT THE HOLDER HAS A PERMANENT IDENTITY CARD WHICH STATES THAT HE HAS THE RIGHT OF
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CONFIDENTIAL
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