XN000022-1985-03-14 — Page 2

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 1985

WORK BEGINS ON REVIEW OF TREATIES, ACCORDS

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MUCH PRELIMINARY WORK HAD BEEN DONE BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS TO GATHER TOGETHER AND TO REVIEW THE 300 MULTILATERAL TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS WHICH APPLIED TO HONG KONG AND ABOUT 160 BILATERAL AGREEMENTS AS WELL, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, MR MICHAEL THOMAS, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

ADDRESSING THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY ON THE SUBJECT OF +LEGAL REFORM IN HONG KONG PRIOR TO 1997, + MR THOMAS SAID HE EXPECTED THIS WORK WOULD CONTINUE IN ORDER TO ASSIST THOSE WHO WERE MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP IN CARRYING OUT THE TASKS ASSIGNED TO THEM.

MR THOMAS SAID THAT BY THESE TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS, HONG KONG ENJOYED BENEFITS AND RIGHTS ON THE ONE HAND, AND INCURRED DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS ON THE OTHER.

SOME OF THESE TREATIES AND ARRANGEMENTS WERE VERY OLD, PERHAPS IN SOME CASES OF LITTLE VALUE NOW. OTHERS WERE VITALLY IMPORTANT IN MAINTAINING HONG KONG'S INTERNATIONAL IMPORTANCE. SOME OF THEM ALSO APPLIED TO CHINA, BUT MANY DID NOT.

+THE WORK THAT WILL SOON HAVE TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WILL INVOLVE EXAMINATION OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS WITH A VIEW TO DECIDING HOW BEST

ITS VALUE CAN BE PRESERVED AFTER THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997, + HE SAID.

+THIS WILL DEPEND UPON A CASE BY CASE EXAMINATION OF THE TERMS OF EACH AGREEMENT, MR THOMAS SAID. +EACH WILL HAVE TO BE EXAMINED TO SEE WHETHER THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR IT TO APPLY TO AN SAR OF THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC.

+THE WORK WILL INVOLVE CONSULTATION WITH THE OTHER COUNTRIES WHO PARTICIPATE IN THOSE AGREEMENTS SINCE THEY MAY WISH TO VARY THEIR TERMS TO ENSURE THAT ITS APPLICATION TO HONG KONG IS NOT AFFECTED BY THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY, HE SAID.

EARLIER, DESCRIBING THE POLITICAL SETTLEMENT ON THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG ́AS +AN ACT OF GREAT STATESMANSHIP ON THE PART OF BOTH GOVERNMENTS,+ MR THOMAS SAID IT GAVE THOSE INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT AND ADMINISTRATION +CLEAR AND SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES, NOT ONLY TO MAINTAIN THOSE SYSTEMS UPON WHICH HONG KONG'S PROSPERITY AND STABILITY DEPEND, BUT AT THE SAME TIME A NUMBER OF SPECIFIC TASKS TO CARRY OUT IN ORDER TO PREPARE HONG KONG FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.+

/+THOSE OF