TNAG-1413-FCO40-1889-Future-of-Hong-Kong-annual-report-to-Parliament-on-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 225

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OF THE BASIC LAW IS A MATTER FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THE CHINESE NATIONAL PEOPLE'S CONGRESS HAS APPOINTED A 59 MEMBER BASIC LAW DRAFTING COMMITTEE, 23 OF WHOSE MEMBERS COME FROM HONG KONG. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT A BASIC LAW CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE WILL BE FORMED IN HONG KONG TO REFLECT THE

VIEWS OF THE HONG KONG PEOPLE TO THE DRAFTING COMMITTEE. HER

MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT HAVE PUBLICLY WELCOMED THE DECISION TO

CONSULT HONG KONG PEOPLE ON A WIDE BASIS ON THE DRAFTING OF THE

BASIC LAW, AND WILL FOLLOW THE DRAFTING PROCESS CLOSELY.

(C) JOINT LIAISON GROUP

8. A SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED

UNDER THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION IN ORDER TO ENSURE A SMOOTH TRANSFER OF GOVERNMENT IN 1997, AND WITH A VIEW TO THE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION. THE GROUP

HELD ITS FIRST MEETING IN LONDON FROM 22 TO 25 JULY. AT THAT

MEETING THE TWO SIDES AGREED ON THE WORKING PROCEDURES OF THE GROUP AND ON ARRANGEMENTS FOR HONG KONG TO REMAIN A MEMBER OF THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AFTER 1 JULY 1997. THE GROUP ALSO DISCUSSED HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE GATT AND MFA AND THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS TO HONG KONG. IT WAS AGREED THAT DISCUSSION OF BOTH

THESE SUBJECTS WOULD CONTINUE AT THE SECOND MEETING OF THE GROUP.

(D) LAND COMMISSION

9. (AS PARA 10 OF HONG KONG DRAFT.)

(E) NATIONALITY AND PASSPORTS

10. PARAGRAPH 2 OF THE SCHEDULE TO THE HONG KONG ACT 1985 PROVIDED FOR A NATIONALITY ORDER IN COUNCIL TO BE MADE TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE TERMS OF THE UK MEMORANDUM ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOINT DECLARATION. A WHITE PAPER CONTAINING A DRAFT OF THIS ORDER IN COUNCIL WAS PUBLISHED ON 17 OCTOBER 1985 IN LONDON AND HONG KONG (CMND 9637). THE DRAFT ORDER PROVIDES FOR BRITISH DEPENDENT TERRITORIES CITZENS BY VIRTUE OF A CONNECTION WITH HONG KONG TO LOSE THAT STATUS ON 1 JULY 1997 BUT TO BE ABLE TO APPLY BEFORE THAT DATE FOR A NEW STATUS, TO BE KNOWN AS BRITISH NATIONAL (OVERSEAS), TOGETHER WITH A BRITISH PASSPORT RECORDING THAT STATUS, AND TO RETAIN IT FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THE

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DRAFT.

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