TNAG-1388-FCO40-1859-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Declaration-1985 — Page 258

CONFIDENTIAL

HKK 040/12

1 FLB 1985

13/2/1

28

FROM: A C GALSWORTHY, HKD

DATE: 12 February 1985

Dr Wilson

PS/Mr

Minister

Lyce

cc: Sir W Harding

Private Secretary

HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RATIFICATION

Mr Burrows

Mr Elliott, FED

PROBLEM

1.

To decide what date we should propose to the Chinese Government

for ratification of the Hong Kong agreement.

RECOMMENDATION

2. I recommend that we propose provisionally to the Chinese that

ratification take place in the last week of May.

A

BACKGROUND AND ARGUMENT

3. The Whips have set a reasonably leisurely programme for the Hong Kong Bill's passage through the Lords. At present second reading will be 19 February, Committee and Report Stages 14 March, and third reading 28 March. This would mean that the Bill could receive the Royal Assent by mid-April. The Chinese NPC is likely to meet in March and the Chinese will presumably also be ready to ratify by that date. There may be some difficulty in producing convincing reasons to delay ratification for very long thereafter, if the Chinese press us, without arousing their suspicions.

4.

Hong Kong are reluctant to agree to ratification before late

May.

They have to legislate to implement the Land Annex to the agreement and to provide diplomatic privileges and immunities for the Chinese members of the Joint Liaison Group. They understandably do not wish the Legislative Council's opportunity to consider this legislation to be unduly compressed. They also hope to complete certain large land transactions before the entry into force of the

CONFIDENTIAL

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