TNAG-1846-FCO40-2621-House-of-Commons-Select-Committee-on-Foreign-Affairs-enquiry-1989 — Page 65

b) negotiate and conclude new ASAS providing routes for Hong Kong

airlines; and

5.

c) negotiate and conclude provisional arrangements with a foreign

state or other region where no existing ASA is in force.

Building on the arrangements in the Joint Declaration, the

Government subsequently agreed with the Chinese side in the Joint

Liaison Group (JLG) arrangements whereby Hong Kong could conclude

before 1997 separate ASAS with third countries where services to

Hong Kong are covered by existing agreements with the UK. These arrangements also provide for the Chinese to be shown a copy of the initialled text of each ASA before signature, in order to ensure that it is in a form capable of continuing after 1997.

6. At the time of signature of the Joint Declaration, Hong Kong was specifically included in ASAS between the UK and 24 other countries.

It is intended that Hong Kong will sign its own ASAS before 1997 with those countries where services still operate and, as each ASA is signed, the provisions relating to Hong Kong will be deleted from the relevant UK ASA. This is referred to as the process of separation.

7. The Department of Transport, together with the Economic Services Branch of the Hong Kong Government, has embarked upon a programme of negotiating separate Hong Kong ASAS with the relevant countries. So

far, three separated ASAS have been signed, with the Netherlands, Canada and Switzerland. The Dutch and Canadian ASAS came into force

upon signature, whereas the Swiss ASA will enter into force upon the completion of Swiss constitutional procedures. Negotiations with several other partners are nearing completion and further ASAS are likely to be signed later this year.

8.

Agreement has also been reached in the JLG on arrangements whereby Hong Kong should sign its own ASAS with countries whose aviation relations with Hong Kong are not covered by existing ASAS. Several countries have expressed interest in negotiating such ASAs with Hong Kong. This is not part of the process of "separation'