TNAG-1333-FCO40-1765-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1985 — Page 91

CONFIDENTIAL

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: LEGISLATION ON PRIVILEGES AND

IMMUNITIES FOR JOINT LIAISON GROUP

1.

Members of the Committee will be aware that

negotiations between HMG and the Government of the

People's Republic of China on the future of Hong Kong

have now been successfully concluded (See Cmnd 9352).

The people of Hong Kong are now being given an

opportunity to comment on the draft agreement.

Parliament will debate the agreement, in the light of

their views, in early December; and if approved the

agreement will be signed before the end of the year. The

agreement provides for ratification by 30 June 1985: we

therefore need to prepare legislation urgently to enable

us to ratify by that date.

2.

This

A paper on legislation relating to the Agreement is

being circulated to OD(K) and QL by the SOSFCA.

legislation is principally concerned with the transfer of

sovereignty, but will need to include a provision

granting diplomatic privileges and immunities to the five

Chinese members of the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group

CONFIDENTIAL