CONFIDENTIAL
((9)
26
GPS 360
*MMEDIATE
8
CYPHER CAT A
FM FCO 091655Z
CONFIDENTIAL
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING TELNO 794 OF 9 DECEMBER, 1976 AND TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG.
FROM HKD/FED.
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS: MR FRANK HOOLEY MP..............
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1. MR HOOLEY (LABOUR-SHEFFIELD, HEELEY) HAS PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING TWO WRITTEN QUESTIONS:
(1) ON WHAT DATE THE UNITED KINGDOM CEASED TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION ON HONG KONG UNDER ARTICLE 73(E) OF THE UN CHARTER: AND FOR WHAT REASON THIS OBLIGATION UNDER THE CHARTER WAS DISREGARDED: (11) IF HE WILL PUBLISH IN THE OFFICAL REPORT THE SUBSTANCE OF THE LETTER DATED 8 MARCH 1972 (UN DOCUMENT A/AC 109/396) SUBMITTED TO THE UN SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF 24 BY HUANG HUA, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO THE UN CONCERNING THE INTERNATIONAL STATUS OF HONG KONG: AND IF HE WILL TAKE STEPS TO ESTABLISH THE CURRENT POSITION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. 2. THESE QUESTIONS FOLLOW TWO BY MR HOOLEY ON THE SAME THEME LAST MONTH. (MY TELEGRAM NUMBER 893 TO HONG KONG, PEKING TELEGRAM NUMBER 935 AND HANSARD FOR 15 NOVEMBER REFER). WE PROPOSE TO SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING DRAFT REPLIES TO MR HOCLEY'S LATEST QUESTIONS: (1) THE UNITED KINGDOM CEASED TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION ON HONG KONG TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNDER ARTICLE 73(E) FOLLOWING THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S APPROVAL, IN RESOLUTION 2908 (XXVII) OF A RECOMMENDATION BY THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION ON THE GRANTING OF INDEPENDENCE TO COLONIAL COUNTRIES AND PEOPLES THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST CR TERRITORIES TO WHICH THAT DECLARATION APPLIES. THE UNITED KINGDOM PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS EXPLAINED IN A LETTER OF 14 DECEMBER 1972 TO THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL THAT, IN VIEW OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION, HMG HAD DECIDED THAT NO USEFUL PURPOSE WOULD BE SERVED BY CONTINUING TO TRANSMIT INFORMATION ON
HONG KONG:
/ (11) I AM ARRANGING
CONFIDENTIAL