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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1994
EXPERT TALKS ON HONG KONG'S SEWAGE STRATEGY
EXPERTS OF THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WILL DISCUSS MATTERS RELATING TO HONG KONG'S SEWAGE STRATEGY ON NOVEMBER 3 AND 4.
THIS, THE SECOND ROUND OF DISCUSSIONS ON THE SUBJECT, WILL BE HELD IN HONG KONG.
THE BRITISH TEAM WILL BE LED BY MR JAMES BLAKE, SECRETARY FOR WORKS. THE CHINESE TEAM WILL BE LED BY MR CHEN ZUO'ER, CHINESE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP. THEY WILL BE ASSISTED BY EXPERTS FROM THE TWO SIDES.
VISA ARRANGEMENT FOR BN (0) PASSPORTS
IN RESPONSE TO PRESS ENQUIRIES CONCERNING AN ENGLISH NEWSPAPER REPORT THAT THE PRIVILEGE OF ENTERING 80 COUNTRIES VISA-FREE ENJOYED BY BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS WAS NOW AT RISK BECAUSE BEIJING WAS SET TO REFUSE TO GUARANTEE THAT BN (0) PASSPORT HOLDERS COULD BE REPATRIATED TO HONG KONG WHEN DEPORTED BY ANOTHER COUNTRY, A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (FRIDAY) CLARIFIED THAT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE.
THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS AGREED BETWEEN "THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS IN THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP THAT ALL, BN(O)S ARE RETURNABLE TO HONG KONG.
"ALL BN (0) PASSPORTS CARRY AN ENDORSEMENT THAT THE HOLDER HAS THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG. THIS IS NOT A UNILATERAL ARRANGEMENT OF THE BRITISH SIDE BUT WAS AGREED AT ONE OF THE FIRST MEETINGS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP BETWEEN BOTH GOVERNMENTS. 1T WAS SUBSEQUENTLY INTRODUCED IN 1987.
RETURNABILITY TO HONG KONG IS THEREFORE A MATTER GUARANTEED BY BOTH GOVERNMENTS. IT IS BEYOND DOUBT THAT BN(0) PASSPORT HOLDERS ARE RETURNABLE TO HONG KONG IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, NOW OR IN THE THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
FUTURE,"
WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE VISA-FREE AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES FOR THE BN(0) WOULD CEASE TO APPLY AFTER 1997 BECAUSE OF THE ENDING OF THE COLONIAL LINK WITH BRITAIN, THE SPOKESMAN SAID AMONG THE 80 COUNTRIES NOW GRANTING BN(O)S VISA-FREE ENTRY, 10 WERE DOING SO BECAUSE OF FORMAL AGREEMENTS WITH BRITAIN WHILE OTHERS WERE GIVING BN (0)S VISA-FREE ACCESS ON ITS OWN MERIT.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS TO THESE COUNTRIES WERE PROBABLY HONG KONG'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH AND THE GOOD TRACK RECORD OF HONG KONG TRAVELLERS.
/"THE GOVERNMENT