TNAG-1333-FCO40-1765-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1985 — Page 92

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which is to be established under the terms of the

agreement.

This would be a short clause in the Hong Kong

Bill to the effect that members of the Group nominated by

the Government of the People's Republic of China would

enjoy the like privileges and immunities as are accorded

to diplomatic agents by the Diplomatic Privileges Act

1964.

The Joint Liaison Group

3.

Annex 11 to the Sino-British Joint Declaration

(attached) sets out the framework within which the Joint

Liaison Group will operate. The group will be

established upon the entry into force of the agreement

(before 30 June 1985). It will meet in Peking, London

and Hong Kong, at least once in each location each year.

(We would expect each meeting to last a matter of days

rather than weeks). Until 1 July 1988 the group will be

entirely peripatetic: thereafter it will have its

principal base in Hong Kong. Each side will designate

five members of the Group and may send up to 20

supporting staff. Paragraph 10 of the Annex provides

that full members of the Group shall enjoy diplomatic

privileges and immunities as appropriate when in the

three locations.

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