AGREEMENT.
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JOINT LIAISON GROUP
7. THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, HAS, OVER THE PAST YEAR, RECORDED FURTHER SOLID ACHIEVEMENTS. FOLLOWING CONSULTATION IN THE GROUP, THE GOVERNMENT WERE ABLE TO START, IN JULY, ISSUING PERMANENT HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS AND A NEW TYPE OF CERTIFICATE OF IDENTITY. A
START WAS ALSO MADE ON ISSUING BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS. THE FIRST OF HONG KONG'S AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS, THAT IS AN AGREEMENT SEPARATE FROM ONE ALSO INVOLVING THE UNITED KINGDOM, CAME INTO FORCE ON 26 JUNE. ALSO IN JUNE, HONG KONG WAS ADMITTED AS A MEMBER OF THE CUSTOMS CO-OPERATION COUNCIL. AND FULL AGREEMENT HAS
BEEN REACHED ON THE NEW PENSION SCHEME FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE, WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT ON 1 JULY.
JLG SUB-GROUP ON IRO
8. THE STANDING SUB-GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, SET UP BY THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP, ALSO CONTINUES TO MAKE STEADY PROGRESS. AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED IN PRINCIPLE ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS UNION, THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANISATION, THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT, AND THE ECONOMIC AND THE
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC.
LAND COMMISSION
9. THE LAND COMMISSION HAS CONTINUED TO PRODUCE PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS
TO A NUMBER OF PRACTICAL PROBLEMS. EARLIER THIS YEAR IT REACHED
AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON LEGISLATIVE MEANS TO EXTEND THE VAST MAJORITY OF LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRRITORIES TO THE YEAR 2047
WITHOUT REQUIRING PAYMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL PREMIUM.
LOOKING AHEAD
10.
AS PROVIDED FOR IN ANNEX II TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WILL HAVE ITS PRINCIPAL BASE IN HONG KONG FROM 1 JULY
NEXT YEAR. THIS SHOULD PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN EXISTING CONTACTS BETWEEN MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE TEAMS, AND TO
GIVE FURTHER IMPETUS TO THE WORK OF THE GROUP.
11.
I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND OF THE LAND COMMISSION, AS WELL AS THE GOOD RELATIONS WHICH HAVE
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