GRS 600
SECRET
FROM PEKING 19024OZ NOV 93
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
CEORET
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1213 OF 19/11/83
REPEATED FOR INFO TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
MEK040/18
CHUSH
146
134
YOUR TEL NO 1210:
FUTURE OF HONG KONG:
WORKING PAPER
ON TREATIES AFFECTING HONG KONG
See (1428
1. WE ASSUME THAT THE POINT OF THIS PAPER IS TO OBTAIN CHINESE AGREEMENT
(A) TO THE PRINCIPLE THAT EXISTING BILATERAL AND
MULTILATERAL TREATIES WHICH CURRENTLY APPLY TO HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO, AND
(5) TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A JOINT COMMISSION.
SHOULD AGREEMENT ON (B) BE FORTHCOMING WE ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND THE COMMISSION'S WORK TAKING PLACE DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PHASE (IE AFTER AN OVERALL AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE) AND THAT THE COMMISSION WOULD ADDRESS ITSELF TO AGREEING WITH THE CHINESE HOW BEST TO SECURE THIRD PARTIES' AGREEMENT THAT THEIR EXISTING TREATIES WITH HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO REMAIN IN FORCE.
2. IN THE LIGHT OF THE ABOVE OUR SUGGESTED RECRAFT IS AS FOLLOWS. BEGINS:
THE CHINESE PROPOSAL.
LAWS, DECREES AND ORDINANCES CURRENTLY IN FORCE WILL REMAIN BASICALLY UNCHANGED. THE CURRENT ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS WILL REMAIN UNCHANGED. USING THE NAME HONG KONG, CHINA' THE HONG KONG SAR MAY, ON ITS OWN, MAINTAIN AND DEVELOP ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL RELATIONS AND SIGN AGREEMENTS WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND REGIONS AND THE RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS.
SEORET
/ IMPLICATIONS.
153
116c
199)