XN000022-1994-01-12 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12, 1994

PASSPORT AND TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

THE FOLLOWING IS ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE OFFICE OF THE SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP:

BRITISH

WE HAVE NOTED WITH INTEREST THE REPORTED COMMENTS OF DIRECTOR THIS LU PING IN PEKING ON 11 JANUARY ON THE SUBJECT OF SAR PASSPORTS. IS A MATTER WHICH THE BRITISH SIDE OF THE JLG TOOK THE INITIATIVE RAISING WITH THE CHINESE SIDE IN JULY 1993. WE ARE PLEASED TO THIS CONFIRMATION THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY OF THE PROBLEM AND THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED COOPERATING WITH THE BRITISH SIDE TO FIND SOLUTIONS.

FOLLOWING AGREEMENT ON

TRANSITIONAL

ARRANGEMENTS FOR

IN

HAVE

THE

IN

THE

AND

SUCH

CONTINUED VALIDITY AFTER 1 JULY 1997 OF EXISTING TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THE

PUT HKG, THE BRITISH SIDE OF THE JLG

DETAILED COMPREHENSIVE PROPOSALS TO THE CHINESE SIDE ON 15 JULY 1993, AND PASSPORT HANDED THEM A CONSULTATION PAPER, COVERING THE HONG KONG SAR AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OF THE SAR. OUR PROPOSALS DEALT WITH ISSUES AS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA, TYPES OF TRAVEL DOCUMENT AND PERIOD OF

WE URGED THE VALIDITY.

CHINESE SIDE TO ENTER INTO DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH US ON THESE AND OTHER RELEVANT

EXPERT MATTERS AT

THAT LEVEL IN THE JLG AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WITH THE AIM OF ENSURING

FOR ISSUING THE PROPER

BE AGREED AND IN PLACE ARRANGEMENTS COULD

THAT DOCUMENTS

1 JULY 1997. WE STRESSED

TIMELY IMMEDIATELY FROM RESOLUTION OF THIS PROBLEM WOULD AVOID DISRUPTION AND INCONVENIENCE TO HONG KONG RESIDENTS AND CONTRIBUTE TO A SMOOTH TRANSITION.

WE A

WE HAVE PRESSED THE CHINESE SIDE FOR A RESPONSE THROUGH THE JLG NUMBER ON A

PEKING IN JLG XXVII IN OCCASIONS, INCLUDING AT AND AT JLG XXVIII IN LONDON IN DECEMBER. SEPTEMBER

AT THE LATTER

WE MEETING

PROPOSED THAT THE DIRECTOR OF

MR IMMIGRATION,

LAURENCE LEUNG, SHOULD HOLD TALKS WITH CHINESE EXPERTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WOULD BE WILLING TO TRAVEL TO PEKING FOR SUCH

WE HAVE MEETING IF THAT WOULD BE MORE CONVENIENT TO THE CHINESE SIDE. MOST RECENTLY SUGGESTED, THROUGH JLG CHANNELS, SPECIFIC DATES FOR SUCH A VISIT. THE CHINESE SIDE OF THE JLG HAVE NOT YET GIVEN US A HOWEVER, WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY DIRECTOR LU PING'S LATEST REMARKS, VERY MUCH HOPE THAT AN EXPERT MEETING ON THIS SUBJECT CAN BE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE.

REPLY.

AND

ARRANGED

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