CONFIDENTIAL
7559 - 1
PROCEDURES.
11.
AT THE SAME TIME AS THE WHITE PAPER WAS PUBLISHED HER
MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ISSUE OF BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS FROM 1 JULY 1987. THIS WILL ENABLE THE PRESENT PRACTICE OF ISSUING PASSPORTS WITH A TEN-YEAR VALIDITY PERIOD TO CONTINUE WITHOUT INTERRUPTION, AND WILL GIVE THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THIRD COUNTRIES TO GROW ACCUSTOMED TO THE NEW PASSPORTS. HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT WILL BE APPROACHING OTHER COUNTRIES TO EXPLAIN THE NEW PASSPORT TO
THEM ONCE THE DRAFT ORDER HAS BEEN MADE.
12. IN AUGUST 1985, HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT INITIATED DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE WORDING OF A STATEMENT TO BE INCLUDED IN BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS) PASSPORTS WHICH WOULD INDICATE CLEARLY TO IMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES IN THIRD COUNTRIES THAT THE HOLDER HAD THE RIGHT OF ABODE IN HONG KONG. AGREEMENT WAS SOUGHT FOR THE STATEMENT TO REMAIN VALID OVER THE LIFE OF THE PASSPORT. IT WOULD THUS BE VALID BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER 1997. AT THE SAME TIME, AGREEMENT WAS SOUGHT FOR THE NEW PERMANENT IDENTITY CARDS, WHICH THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WISH TO ISSUE FROM 1 JULY 1987, TO REMAIN VALID UNTIL THEY ARE REPLACED AFTER 1997 BY IDENTITY CARDS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL
ADMINISTRATIVE REGION.
(OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS) NOTE: IT MAY BE POSSIBLE BEFORE
PUBLICATION OF THE WHITE PAPER TO STATE HERE THE OUTCOME OF THE
DISCUSSIONS. (CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS)
(F) (NEXT THREE WORDS UNDERLINED) LEGISLATION AND TREATIES
13.
IN DUE COURSE HONG KONG WILL ASK FOR ORDERS IN COUNCIL TO BE MADE, UNDER THE HONG KONG ACT 1985, ENABLING THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO ENACT LOCAL LEGISLATION TO REPLACE UNITED KINGDOM LAWS WHICH AT PRESENT APPLY TO HONG KONG. EXAMPLES OF SUCH LAWS
ARE THOSE RELATING TO MERCHANT SHIPPING AND CIVIL AVIATION. TREATIES AFFECTING HONG KONG, AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SETTING UP A COURT OF FINAL APPEAL IN HONG KONG, ARE ALSO BEING LOOKED INTO. SOME OF THESE SUBJECTS, PARTICULARLY THE QUESTION OF ENSURING THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG, WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH THE CHINESE
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CONFIDENTIAL
GOVERNMEN
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