SOURCES SAID A PACKAGE OF PROPOSALS ON THE WORDINGS ON THE NEW PASSPORT AND IDENTITY CARDS HAD BEEN SENT TO BEIJING AND WAS BEING CAREFULLY STUDIED BY CHINA'S EXPERTS FAMILIAR WITH THE SUBJECT.
THE JLG, ACCORDING TO THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON HONG KONG, MUST MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES A YEAR, ROTATING THE VENUE BETWEEN LONDON, BEIJING AND HONG KONG WITH THE LATTER BEING THE BASE AFTER JULY 1, 1988.
THE CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING THE NEW PASSPORTS AND IDENTITY CARDS REVOLVE AROUND WHETHER THE PRESENT BRITISH HONG KONG GOVERNMENT CAN ISSUE DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THE RIGHT OF ABODE AND WHICH WILL BE ACCEPTABLE TO THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION GOVERNMENT WHICH COMES INTO BEING IN 1997.
THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT HOPES TO START ISSUING A NEW BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) OR BNO PASSPORT FROM 1937 TO REPLACE THE CURRENT BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITIZEN DOCUMENT. IT WILL ALSO ISSUE A NEW IDENTITY CARD CARRYING WITH IT PERMANENT RESIDENCY IN HONG KONG BY THE HOLDER.
THE BNO PASSPORT WILL ALSO SAY THAT THE HOLDER CARRIES AN IDENTITY CARD AS EVIDENCE OF HIS OR HER RIGHT OF ABODE IN
HONG KONG.
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR. DAVID JEAFFRESON, TOLD A PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK THAT ''A PASSPORT WITHOUT REFERENCE TO RIGHT OF ABODE IS NOT A VERY USEFUL DOCUMENT", AND "THIS IS THE SOLUTION (THE IDENTITY CARD) THAT WAS FOUND''.
UNDER THE JOINT DECLARATION IT HAS BEEN AGREED THAT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT CAN ISSUE SOME KIND OF PASSPORT TO CURRENT 3DTCS IN HONG KONG BEYOND 1997, THOUGH THEY WOULD NOT BE SUBJECTED TO BRITISH CONSULAR PROTECTION IN HONG KONG SAR AND OTHER PARTS OF CHINESE TERRITORY.
BUT IT IS STATED IN THE DECLARATION THAT NEW IDENTITY CARDS, STATING THE RIGHT OF ABODE, WILL BE ISSUED BY THE HONG KONG SAR GOVERNMENT'', WHICH WILL NOT COME INTO EXISTENCE UNTIL JULY 1,
1997.
ENDS.
YOU DE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED
LIMITED
COPIES TO:
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
D/HD PUSD
MR WILSON
-2-
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
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