CONFIDENTIAL
12367-1
MDHIAN 4
DRAFTING
THE
DRAFT.
THIS LONG AND COMPLEX DOCUMENT HAS EMERGED FROM A TWO-YEAR ORCESS IN WHICH HONG KONG PEOPLE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART. CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THE VIEWS OF THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG ON THE MAINLAND MEMBERS OF THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE HAVE VISITED THE TERRITORY TWICE. THEY HAVE SHOWN A REFRESING WILLINGNESS TO LISTEN TO VIEWS ON THE FIRST DRAFT AND TO TAKE THEM INTO ACCOUNT WHEN IT IS REVISED.
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174. THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE BASIC LAW WILL BE PUT TO THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS NEXT YEAR AND WILL THEN BE PUBLISHED FOR FURTHER CONSULTATION. THE FINAL VERSIONS IS SCHEDULED FOR PROMULGATION IN 1990. THE BASIC LAW WILL SET OUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION FOR THE 50 YEARS AFTER 1997. BUT BEFORE THAT DATE INDEED AS SOON AS IT IS PUBLISHED IT WILL BE A CRUCIAL FACTOR IN MAINT- AINING CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S FUTURE BOTH HERE AND OVERSEAS. THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG WILL BE LOOKING TO THE BASIC LAW TO STATE IN CLEAR AND WORKABLE TERMS THE DETAILS OF THE POLICIES SET OUT IN THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS ANNEXES, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY UNDER THE FORMULA OF ''ONE COUNTRY TWO SYSTEMS''. SO TOO WILL THE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHOSE INVESTMENTS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO HONG KONG.
(C) JOINT LIAISON GROUP/LAND COMMISSION
OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS TO BE UPDATED AFTER JLG X CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS.
175. THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE LAND COMMISSION HAVE CONTINUED TO MAKE GOOD PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE JLG REACHED AGREEMENT ON HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION AFTER 1997 IN EIGHT MORE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANISATION, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY AND INTERPOL. FOLLOWING AGREEMENT IN THE JLG, HONG KONG HAS CONCLUDED ITS OWN AIR SERVICE AGREEMENTS WITH SWITZERLAND, CANADAD OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS AND BRUNEI CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS. OTHER SEPARATE AGREEMENTS ARE BEING NEGOTIATED. CONSENSUS HAS ALSO BEEN REACHED ON IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TERMS OF SERVICE OF THE JUDICIARY.
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176. FOLLOWING AGREEMENT IN THE LAND COMMISSION, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF LAND LEASES IN THE NEW TERRITORIES HAVE NOW BEEN EXTENDED, BY LEGISLATION APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL, TO THE YEAR 2047. THE TWO SIDES ALSO AGREED TO A LAND DISPOSAL PROGRAMME FOR 1988/89 WHICH
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