the 1973 Extradition Order and all similar Orders will lapse on 30
June 1997, and discussions have therefore taken place between the
British and Chinese sides on the legal arrangements for the
surrender of fugitive offenders to and from Hong Kong after that
date. A consultation paper on the British side's proposal for a
Surrender of Fugitive Offenders Bill was handed over to the Chinese
side on 8 January 1993. If local legislation on the surrender of
fugitive offenders is in place when the localising Bill now proposed
by the British side is introduced, provisions will be included in
the Bill to repeal the 1973 Extradition Order and to bring offences
under the localising Ordinance within the scope of the localised
fugitive offenders legislation. If such legislation is not in place
when the localising Bill is introduced, the Bill will, as a
temporary measure, include an amendment to the 1973 Extradition
Order so that it will apply to offences under the localising
Ordinance rather than under the 1973 Act.
10.
As mentioned in para. 2 above, the 1973 Act added the
offences in relation to the safety of aircraft to the Fugitive
Offenders Act 1967. That Act governs the surrender of fugitive
offenders to and from Commonwealth jurisdictions and is applied to
Hong Kong by the Fugitive Offenders (Hong Kong) Order 1967 ("the
1967 Order"). The 1967 Order will also lapse on 30 June 1997 as
part of the law of Hong Kong but will continue to apply until
replaced by the local legislation on the surrender of fugitive
offenders referred to in para. 9 above. If that legislation is in
place when the localising Bill now proposed by the British side is