TNAG-1334-FCO40-1766-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-1984 — Page 60

GR 200

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG 141104Z DEC 84

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 3798 OF 14 DECEMBER

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING

НКК

040153

153

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

47 DEC 1984

DESK OF

AGISTRY

53

INDEX

152.

YOUR TELNO 2487: HONG KONG AGREEMENT: DRAFT BILL.

བདག་དང་

ᄂ

59/12]

1. WE NOTE FROM YOUR TELNO 647 TO TOKYO THAT IT IS THE INTENTION TO INTRODUCE THE BILL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LEGISLATION COMMITTEE OF THE CABINET HAS MET IN EARLY JANUARY.

2. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW WHAT THE ESTIMATED PARLIAMENTARY TIMETABLE IS FOR THIS LEGISLATION AND WHAT YOUR BEST ESTIMATE IS FOR THE EARLIEST DATE BY WPICH IT MIGHT BE ENACTED. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT STEPS WHICH WE HAVE TO TAKE HERE TO BE READY TO IMPLEMENT PARTS OF THE AGREEMENT AS SOON AS RATIFICATION HAS TAKEN PLACE. THESE INCLUDE LEGISLATION ON DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES AND PRIVILEGES, FINANCIAL PROCEDURES AND POSSIBLE LAND LEASES. THERE ARE ALSO THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP AND THE LAND COMMISSION TO BE BROUGHT INTO EFFECT. FINALLY THERE ARE REVENUE IMPLICATIONS IN RESPECT OF MAJOR LAND TRANSACTIONS WHICH ARE IN AN ADVANCED STAGE OF NEGOTIATION AND WHICH WILL BE CONCLUDED IN THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS OF 1985.

3. AT THIS STAGE WE ARE PLANNING ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT RATIFICATION WILL NOT BE BEFORE APRIL AT THE VERY EARLIEST, BUT FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW A DATE TOWARDS THE END OF MAY OR EARLY JUNE WOULD BE PREFERABLE.

YOUDE

[REPEATED AS REQUESTEDĮ

HONG KONG AGREEMENT

LIMITED

HD/HKD

HD/FED

HD/PLANNING STAFF

HD/PUSD

DEP HD/PUSD

RESEARCH DEPT (MR WALKER) PS

PS/MR LUCE

PS/PUS

SIR W HARD ING

MR WILSON

SIR J FREELAND

MR J CROWLEY, PUSD

COPIES TO:(VIA ADR)

MR ROBERTS, NEWS DEPT

MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR BURROWS, LEGAL ADVISERS

MR MARTIN, ASST STAFF CABINET

OFFICE

MR CARTLEDGE, CABINET OFFICE ER COLVIN, CABINET OFFICE

SIR P CRADOCK, NO 10 DOWNING ST SIR P CRADOCK, ROOM K195

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