TNAG-1333-FCO40-1765-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1985 — Page 99

CONFIDENTIAL

4.

The terms of reference of the Joint Liaison Group

were negotiated with the Chinese Government dur ing the

visit to Peking undertaken by the Foreign and

Commonwealth Secretary in July 1984. It was part of an

overall deal that had to be concluded on the spot. For

these practical reasons it was not possible to consult

the Committee at that stage.

5. There is no alternative to providing these privileges

and immunities in the United Kingdom through primary

legislation. We have considered, but rejected, two other

possibilities. The first was an Order under Section 6 of

the International Organisations Act 1968, but it is not

thought that the Joint Liaison Group could reasonably be

considered to be an international conference within that

section. The second was to ask the Chinese to appoint

their five members to their London Embassy whenev er they

visited the UK. But the agreement does not provide for

this; and we could not be certain that the Chinese would

agree.

CONFIDENTIAL