ENG-1993 — Page 65

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION

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Franchises and Contracts Extending Beyond 1997

The JLG discussed a number of major franchises and contracts extending beyond 1997. Agreement was reached on the Scheme of Control Agreement with the Hong Kong Electric Company Limited and Hong Kong Electric Holdings Limited; the West New Territories Landfill; the Southeast New Territories Landfill; and the subscription television licence.

Right of Abode

The JLG continued to discuss the alignment of the provisions on right of abode in the Immigration Ordinance with those in the Basic Law. It also discussed the questions of right of abode for persons not of Chinese race, and for children born outside Hong Kong to Hong Kong permanent residents.

Travel Documents

The JLG agreed on the transitional arrangements for the issue of Hong Kong re-entry permits. So far, the JLG has reached agreement on transitional arrangements for nearly all existing travel and identity documents.

International Rights and Obligations

The Sub-Group on International Rights and Obligations was formally established under the JLG in July 1986, to examine and discuss the continued application after 1997 of - international rights and obligations affecting Hong Kong. The sub-group, based in Hong

Kong, reports its conclusions to the JLG.

During the year, the JLG reached agreement on the continued application to Hong Kong of 12 international treaties. So far, the two sides have reached agreement on the continued application of about half of the approximately 200 multilateral treaties which currently apply to Hong Kong. These include agreements on Hong Kong's continued participation in some 30 international organisations, including the General Agree- ment on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Asian Development Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the International Maritime Organisation.

Air Services Agreements

In order to maintain Hong Kong's status as an international civil aviation centre after 1997, there is an on-going air services agreements (ASAs) separation programme, under which provisions involving Hong Kong in United Kingdom ASAS are separated into discrete Hong Kong ASAS. Two ASAs were signed in 1993. To date, Hong Kong has signed 10 ASAs, with the Netherlands, Switzerland, Canada, Brunei, France, New Zealand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Brazil and Australia.

Localisation and Adaptation of Laws

The Joint Declaration provides that after the establishment of the SAR, the laws previously in force in Hong Kong shall be maintained, except for those that contravene the Basic Law, and subject to any amendment by the legislature of the SAR.

Nearly 300 United Kingdom laws which currently apply to Hong Kong will cease to have effect in the territory after June 30, 1997. Apart from 80 that will not be needed after 1997, the rest have to be ‘localised', that is, replaced by legislation enacted in Hong Kong