A bill ensuring the security of United Nations personnel will be gazetted tomorrow and tabled at the Legislative Council on May 17.

The Convention on the Safety of United Nations & Associated Personnel requires state parties to take all necessary measures to protect these people by establishing criminal offences and by co-operating in the prevention of such crimes and in providing assistance to one another in connection with criminal proceedings.

The Security Bureau said Hong Kong's existing administrative measures and legislation already comply with most convention requirements.

The bill seeks to establish extra-territorial jurisdiction over Chinese nationals who are Hong Kong permanent residents committing the crimes proscribed by the convention outside Hong Kong. It also sets out a maximum penalty of 10 years jail for threats to commit an attack proscribed by the convention, to reflect the internationally recognised need to deter the offence.

After the bill is passed, the Government will table subsidiary legislation - the International Organisations (Privileges & Immunities) (United Nations & Associated Personnel) Order [the IO Order], and the Fugitive Offenders (Safety of United Nations & Associated Personnel) Order [the FO Order] - at LegCo.

The IO Order will give effect to the convention requirement that if UN and associated personnel are captured or detained during duty, they will not be subjected to interrogation and will be promptly released. The FO Order will implement the convention's extradition requirements.