GR 250
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 140816Z MAY 80
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 635 OF 14 MAY
CONFIDENTIAL
28
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, BRUSSELS (FOR BURGESS), GENEVA (FOR CHAU),
WASHINGTON (FOR CROWSON).
YOUR TELNO 380 (NOT TO ALL): SACTIONS AGAINST IRAN.
2. AS WE DO NOT POSSESS POWERS WHICH YOU HAVE UNDER THE IMPORT, EXPORT AND CUSTOMS POWERS (DEFENCE) ACT 1939, WE WILL NEED AN AMENDMENT TO OUR LOCAL IMPORT AND EXPORT LEGISLATION (WHICH CAN
SIMPLY BE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL) TO ENABLE US TO ACT AGAINST IRAN SHOULD WE BE REQUIRED TO DO SO. WE WILL DO THIS BY SUBMITTING TO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON 20TH MAY NEW REGULATIONS TO
BE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR-IN-COUNCIL AND TO BE CALLED THE IMPORT AND EXPORT (GENERAL) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 1982. THESE WILL BE ENABLING PROVISIONS, SUBJECTING TO LICENSING ALL (UNDERLINED) IMPORTS TO AND EXPORTS FROM IRAN AND OF GOODS OF IRANIAN ORIGIN
AT A DATE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR. WE DO NOT PROPOSE
TO APPOINT A DATE UNTIL WE HAVE RECEIVED SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
FROM YOU.
3. IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE REGULATIONS WILL OF COURSE AFFECT RE-EXPORTS OF CHINESE ORIGIN TO IRAN. IN REAL TERMS, THE AMOUNT
IS INSIGNIFICANT. IN 1978, SUCH RE-EXPORTS AMOUNTED TO
HK DOLLARS 1.9 MILLION AND, IN 1979, A MERE HK DOLLARS 0.6 MILLION. NONETHELESS, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD INSTRUCT
PEKING TO BRIEF THE CHINESE ON THE EFFECTS ON ENTREPOT TRADE
THROUGH HONG KONG. WE WILL ACT SIMILARLY LOCALLY.
4. WE CANNOT TELL AT THIS STAGE IF ANY OTHER ACTION WILL BE
REQUIRED LOCALLY AS A RESULT OF THE ENACTMENT OF THE IRAN (TEMPORARY POWERS) BILL. THIS WILL BE CONSIDERED ONCE WE RECEIVE
A COPY OF THE BILL.
MACLEHOSE
DEPARTMENTAL DISTN.
HK&GD
MED
NENAD
ECD
FED
NAD
FRD
TRED
ECON D
UND EESD
HKG. 122 /324/1
мо
16 MAY 1980
no 1813.6
171361 mys
пузь
CONFIDENTIAL
ADDITIONAL DISTN.
TEHRAN SPECIAL
COPIES TO:-
HONG KONG GOVT. OFFICE
SEE
LONDON
33