XN000022-1994-06-08 — Page 25

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 1994

"TO THIS END, WE WILL BE ORGANISING A SERIES OF PUBLIC

EVENTS EDUCATION

OF IN THE COMING MONTHS TO PUBLICISE THE AIMS BILL AND TO SEEK THE COMMUNITY'S ENDORSEMENT, SHE ADDED.

THE

MRS

ALSO PROPOSED TO ALLOW A REASONABLE WONG

LEAD AFFECTED PARTIES TO CARRY OUT PREPARATORY WORK TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES.

FOR TIME

THE NEW

"AS DIFFERENT GRACE PERIODS WILL ВЕ NEEDED FOR DIFFERENT

THE REQUIREMENTS,

VARIOUS PROVISIONS IN THE BILL WILL COME INTO OPERATION ON DIFFERENT DATES, SHE SAID.

T

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

0

PROPOSALS ON HKSAR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS PUT TO THE CHINESE

PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN PUT TO THE CHINESE THROUGH THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP (JLG) ON WHAT STEPS TO TAKE TO ENSURE THAT THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (HKSAR) PASSPORT WOULD BE RECOGNISED AND ACCEPTED INTERNATIONALLY.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON ERIC LI IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

"IN AUGUST 1992, WE PUT FORWARD PROPOSALS TO ENABLE HOLDERS OF THE HKSAR PASSPORT TO ENJOY A HIGH DEGREE OF VISA-FREE TRAVEL, HE SAID.

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"WE ARE NOW DISCUSSING THESE PROPOSALS IN THE JLG, HE ADDED.

IN JULY 1993. PROPOSALS ON ELIGIBILITY FOR HKSAR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING THE HKSAR PASSPORT, AND ON DETAILS OF THE DOCUMENTS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR ISSUE WERE ALSO PUT FORWARD.

"WE

HAVE NOT YET HAD ANY DISCUSSION WITH THE CHINEge on THESE PROPOSALS; BUT WE HOPE TO START SUCH DISCUSSIONS IN THE NEAR FUTURE," MR ASPRRY SAID.

MR ASPREY SAID HE COULD NOT GO INTO FURTHER DETAIL ON THE CONTENT OF THE PROPOSALS AS THE JLG DISCUSSIONS WERE CONFIDENTIAL.

HOWEVER, MR ASPREY HOPED AN EARLY AGREEMENT ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR ISSUE OF THE HKSAR PASSPORT AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS COULD BE

THE REACHED.

AS FOR THE EXPENDITURE INVOLVED, HE SAID DETAILS WERE NOT SUFFICIENT ENOUGH FOR CALCULATION.

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