TELELETTER
FROM T J B GEORGE, PEKING.
FILE REF:
Mr Willingn
can
13 AUGUST 1979
JWING FOR M R MORLAND ESQ, MAED, FCO
COPID
RC SAMUEL ESQ, FED, FCO
you please look into this
L
21.8
Nothing (R+R 2212 Miss Stoddart (MIXED))
R J T MCLAREN ESQ, HKGD, FCO has asked if
See (63)
M S MORRIS ESO, SP, DOT
we can
give an answer to para 4: can you investigate please?
сай
D C WILSON ESQ, POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG.
UK-PRC MARITIME AGREEMENT:
1.
HONG KONG.
CORRESPONDENCE RESTING WITH YOUR TELNO.351 REFERS.
58
2. WITH THE AIR SERVICES AGREEMENT INITIALLED, I ARRANGED A CALL ON WANG BENZUO OF WED ON 9 AUGUST TO DISCUSS THE MARITIME AGREEMENT. I SPOKE IN ACCORDANCE WITH REFTEL, STRESSING THAT THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT DRAFTED DID NOT MENTION HONG KONG BY NAME AND DID NOT, IN OUR VIEW. PREJUDICE THE POSITION OF THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ON THE STATUS OF THE TERRITORY.
3. WANG SAID THAT BECAUSE OF THE SPECIAL STATUS OF HONG KONG THE PROBELM NEEDED CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. BUT IN HIS OPINION SOME SOLUTION COULD BE FOUND, AS SOLUTIONS HAD BEEN FOUND IN THE CASE OF THE AIR SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS. HE SAID THAT WE SHOULD DISCUSS THE MATTER AGAIN AFTER THE MFA HAD LOOKED INTO THE QUESTION WITH THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS.
4. I TAKE THIS AS AN ENCOURAGING ANSWER. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW (AND TO BE ABLE TO TELL THE CHINESE IF ASKED) WHETHER ANY PROCEDURE OUTSIDE THE AGREEMENT (SUCH AS AN ORDER IN COUNCIL) IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THE TERMS APPLY TO HONG KONG. OR IS THE AGREEMENT SELF SUFFICIENT IN THIS RESPECT ?
5. MEANWHILE WE ARE WAITING TO TAKE ACTION ON YOUR TELNO.429. THERE IS A CONTINUING TENDENCY TO PASS THE BUCK ON THE EXCHANGE LETTERS AND THIS IS HAMPERING OUR ACCESS ON THE VISIT. BUT I HOPE TO SEE EITHER THE TRANSPORTATION CORPORATION OR THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION SOON.
6. I AM COPYING THIS TELLETTER BY BAG TO POLITICAL ADVISER HONG KONG. MAD REGISTRY PL
AND SP, DOT.
SIGND T J B GORGE
SE PASS COPIES TO FED, HKGD,
NNNN
THAT WAS PEKING TL 129
HKK175/2
GIVED IN RÉGISTOV NO,
20 AUG 1979
DESK OFFICER INDEX
No 922.8
ло
MAL
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