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THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1985
+THOSE OF US IN THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT MUST BEND OURSELVES TO THE WORK WHICH IS NECESSARY TO IMPLEMENT THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND TO ENSURE THAT THE LEGAL SYSTEM OF HONG KONG AND THE LAWS IN FORCE IN 1997 WILL BE FIT FOR USE BY THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION FOR THE PERIOD OF 50 YEARS FOLLOWING 1997.+
HE FELT THAT THE TASKS AHEAD COULD BE LOOKED AT FROM FOUR DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW, HE SAID.
FIRSTLY, THERE WERE SPECIFIC TASKS WHICH AROSE FROM THE EXPRESS TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. HERE AND THERE WERE PASSAGES WHICH POINTED TO SPECIFIC CHANGES MUST BE MADE IN THE LAW TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE DECISIONS OF THE U.K. AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS.
SECONDLY, THERE WERE TASKS WHICH WERE IN/LICIT FROM THE EXPRESS TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. IN THE FIELD OF LAW, THESE FLOW FROM THE COMMITMENT TO END BRITISH KULE IN 1997. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WHEREVER THE LAWS PRESENTLY IN FORCE IN HONG KONG DERIVED AUTHORITY FROM BRITISH ..., "E NECESSARY CHANGES MUST BE MADE TO ENABLE THE LAWS OF HONG KONG TO BE
OF FREE-STANDING WITH A VITALITY AND AUTHORITY OF THEIR OWN.
THIRDLY, THERE WERE CHANGES AFFECTING THE LAW, THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE AND THE PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES WHICH WERE AT LEAST HIGHLY DESIRABLE IN A TERRITORY WHICH WOULD BECOME CHINESE RATHER THAN BRITISH IN 1997.
AND LASTLY, THERE WAS THE LEGAL WORK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN SUPPORT OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHICH WOULD BE SET UP BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS AFTER THE JOINT DECLARATION HAD BEEN RATIFIED THIS SUMMER.
OF TASKS EXPRESSLY MENTIONED, MR THOMAS SAID IT WOULD BE APPARENT THAT A NUMBER OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION MUST BE IMPLEMENTED BY MEANS OF LEGISLATION.
TAKING THE MOST OBVIOUS EXAMPLE, MR THOMA SAID PARAGRAPH TWO OF THE JOINT DECLARATION STATED THAT THE U.K. GOVERNMENT DECLARED THAT IT WOULD RESTORE HONG KONG TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1997.
+THAT REQUIRES THE LAW TO BE CHANGED TO TERMINATE SOVEREIGNTY WITH EFFECT FROM JULY 1, 1997 AND TO TERMINATE JURISDICTION OVER THE TERRITORIES, HE SAID.
LEGISLATION TO ACHIEVE THIS HAD ALREADY BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE U.K. PARLIAMENT IN THE HONG KONG BILL WHICH TONIGHT WOULD GO THROUGH ITS COMMITTEE STAGE IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS.
/+IT IS