TNAG-1927-FCO40-2744-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Liaison-Group-sub-gro-1989 — Page 130

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Rule 28: Order of Procedural Motions; Content of Interventions on Such

Motions

(1)

Subject to Rule 23, the following motions shall have precedence in the following order over all other proposals or motions before the meeting:

(i) to suspend the meeting,

(ii)

(iii)

to adjourn the meeting,

to adjourn the debate on the question under discussion, (iv) to close the debate on the question under discussion.

(2) Any Member Delegation which has been given the floor on a procedural motion may only speak on that motion and may not speak on the substance of the matter under discussion.

Rule 29: Basic Proposal and Proposals for Amendment

(1) The basic proposal shall constitute the basis of the discussions in the Conference.

(2) Any Member Delegation may propose substantive or any other amendments to the basic proposal.

(3) Proposals for amendment shall, as a rule, be submitted in writing and handed to the Secretary of the competent body (the Conference, meeting in Plenary, the committee or working group). The Secretariat shall distribute copies to the Delegations and the representatives of Observer Organizations represented in the body concerned. As a general rule, a proposal for amendment shall be considered and discussed or put to the vote in any meeting only if copies of it have been distributed at least three hours before it is called up for consideration. The Presiding Officer may, however, permit the consideration and discussion of a proposal for amendment even though copies have not been distributed or have been distributed less than three hours before it is called up for consideration.

Rule 30: Decisions on Competence

(1) If any Member Delegation moves that a proposal, duly seconded, should not be considered by the Conference because it is outside the competence of the Conference, such a motion shall be decided by the Conference, meeting in Plenary, and shall be put to the vote before the proposal is called up for discussion.

(2) If the motion referred to in paragraph (1) is made in a body other than the Conference, meeting in Plenary, it shall be referred for decision to the Conference, meeting in Plenary.

Rule 31: Withdrawal of Procedural Motions and Proposals for Amendment

Any procedural motion and any proposal for amendment may be withdrawn by the Member Delegation which has made it, at any time before voting on it has commenced, provided that no amendment to that motion or proposal has been proposed by another Member Delegation. Any motion or proposal which has thus been withdrawn may be reintroduced by any other Member Delegation.