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The spokesman said this provision was considered to be too vague and too

onerous.

He said: "The reason for having the section is to comply with Article 47 of the Constitution of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) which requires steps to be taken to prevent the transmission or circulation of false or deceptive distress, urgency, safety or identification signals.

"The redrafted section will enable us to comply with the ITU requirements."

The Bill will be gazetted on Friday (May 10) and introduced into the Legislative Council on May 22.

End

Bill on aviation security to be introduced

The Government will introduce new legislation to establish a statutory framework on aviation security in Hong Kong so that the territory will continue to comply with international requirements, a Government spokesman said today (Wednesday).

The Aviation Security Bill will be gazetted on Friday (May 10) and is expected to be introduced into the Legislative Council on June 5 this year.

The spokesman said that the international community had agreed on a number of standards and recommended practices for the suppression of unlawful interference committed against aircraft, airports and passengers.

These are laid down in Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention of the International Civil Aviation Organisation. In addition, agreements on measures to combat unlawful interference are enshrined in the Tokyo, The Hague and the Montreal Conventions.

The Aviation Security Bill aims to localise provisions in UK legislation giving effect to these Conventions, which are extended to Hong Kong by Orders-in-Council.

"The Bill also seeks to regularise the aviation security arrangements currently applied at Kai Tak Airport through administrative measures," the spokesman said.