TNAG-1377-FCO40-1825-Future-of-Hong-Kong-legislation-Hong-Kong-Bill-1985 — Page 266

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BEGAN FOLLOWING THE PRIME MINISTER'S VISIT TO PEKING IN SEPTEMBER 1982. IT WAS THE FACT THAT THE NEW TERRITORIES, WHICH MAKE UP 92 PERCENT OF THE LAND AREA OF HONG KONG, ARE SUBJECT TO A LEASE WHICH EXPIRES ON 30 JUNE 1997 WHICH LAY BEHIND HER MAJESTY'S

GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CHINESE

GOVERNMENT ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE.

AFTER TWENTY TWO FORMAL ROUNDS OF TALKS AND TWO VISITS BY SIR

GEOFFREY HOWE TO PEKING THE AGREEMENT WAS INITIALLED IN PEKING ON

26 SEPTEMBER 1984. IT WAS PUBLISHED IN DRAFT AS A WHITE PAPER IN

LONDON AND HONG KONG AND WIDELY CIRCULATED. THE PEOPLE OF HONG

KONG WERE GIVEN A FULL OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS ON THE

AGREEMENT TO AN ASSESSMENT OFFICE ESTABLISHED IN THE TERRITORY.

THE ASSESSMENT OFFICE REPORTED ON 23 NOVEMBER THAT MOST OF THE

PEOPLE OF HONG KONG FOUND THE DRAFT AGREEMENT ACCEPTABLE. THIS

CONCLUSION WAS ENDORSED BY THE INDEPENDENT TEAM OF MONITORS

APPOINTED BY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE TO OVERSEE THE WORK OF THE

ASSESSMENT OFFICE. BOTH REPORTS WERE PUBLISHED IN A WHITE PAPER

ON 29 NOVEMBER.

THE HOUSE OF COMMONS DEBATED THE AGREEMENT, IN THE LIGHT OF THESE REPORTS, ON 5 DECEMBER 1984, AND ENDORSED WITHOUT DIVISION THE

GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT. THE HOUSE OF LORD

EXPRESSED THE SAME VIEW ON 10 DECEMBER. THE PRIME MINISTER,

ACCOMPANIED BY SIR GEOFFREY HOWE, VISITED PEKING AND SIGNED THE

AGREEMENT ON 19 DECEMBER. THEY THEN VISITED HONG KONG.

BOTH SIDES WILL NOW MOVE TOWARDS BRINGING THE AGREEMENT INTO

FORCE. AS PART OF THAT PROCESS THE BRITISH SIDE NEEDS TO ENACT

LEGISLATION IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO RATIFY THE AGREEMENT BEFORE 30

JUNE 1985, AS PROVIDED FOR IN PARAGRAPH 8 OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION.

THE HONG KONG BILL PROVIDES FOR THE TERMINATION OF BRITISH

SOVEREIGNTY AND JURISDICTION WITH EFFECT FROM 1 JULY 1997. IT

ACCORDS DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO THE FIVE CHINESE

MEMBERS OF THE JOINT LIAISON GROUP WHO WILL ATTEND MEETINGS OF

THE GROUP IN LONDON. THE BILL ALSO ENABLES SUBSEQUENT ORDERS IN

COUNCIL TO DEAL WITH CHANGES IN BRITISH NATIONALITY LAWS AND TO

MAKE THE SORT OF AMENDMENTS TO BRITISH LAWS WHICH ARE USUALLY

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CONFIDENTIAL