OU HONG KONG DESKBY 290200Z
GRS 212
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
DESKBY 29020OZ NOV 80
FM FCO 28170OZ NOV 80
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1068 OF 28 NOVEMBER
AND TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
HKLOHoli
HKK!
мо
.12
COP
5441 1
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A
PQ:
1.
STATUS OF HONG KONG
MR FRANK HOOLEY MP HAS PUT DOWN THE FOLLOWING QUESTION FOR
WRITTEN ANSWER:
'TO ASK THE LORD PRIVY SEAL, PURSUANT TO THE MINISTER OF
STATE'S REPLY TO THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FOR SHEFFIELD, HEELEY, ON
29 OCTOBER, OFFICIAL REPORT, COLUMN 294, WHETHER HE WILL SET OUT
THE VIEWS OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ON THE STATUS OF HONG KONG
WHICH WERE DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER OF 14 DECEMBER 1972 AS BEING
WELL KNOWN BUT WERE NOT SET OUT.'
2. WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING DRAFT REPLY:
'HONG KONG IS A DEPENDENT TERRITORY ADMINISTERED AS PART OF HER
MAJESTY'S DOMINIONS UNDER THE HONG KONG LETTERS PATENT 1917 TO
1976 AND THE HONG KONG ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS 1917 TO 1977.
3. THIS FORMULA COVERS THE STATUS OF HONG KONG IN INTERNATIONAL
AND UK DOMESTIC LAW. BY SAYING THAT IT IS A DEPENDENT TERRITORY,
WE IMPLY THAT IT IS A DEPENDENT TERRITORY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
IN INTERNATIONAL LAW, AND BY ADDING A REFERENCE TO HER MAJESTY'S
DOMINIONS, WE IMPLY IT IS A COLONY. BUT WE HAVE DELIBERATELY
AVOIDED EXPLICIT REFERENCE TO THE UNITED KINGDOM AND 'COLONY'.
GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS DESKBY 010800Z.
CARRINGTON
MINIMAL
HKNG D FED LEG ADV
1
CONFIDENTIAL
معم
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