Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
File
48
Telephone 01-
233 3918
D G Blunt Esq PEKING
Dear David,
HONG KONG AGREEMENT:
1.
RATIFICATION
Your reference
Our reference
Date
11 March 1985
HKK 040/12
1 1 MAR 1985
not
In view of Zhou Nan 1
S reference to the possibility of a brief ceremony on the occasion of the ratification of the Hong Kong agreement you may find it useful to have a brief account of what usually happens at an exchange of ratifications in London.
2.
It usually takes place in the rarified surroundings of Clive House and the Head of Nationality and Treaty Department and the representative of the other government exchange documents.
They are examined to see that they are correct in their references to the agreement being ratified and properly signed and sealed. A certificate is then signed in duplicate and a copy retained by each party with the other country S ratification instrument and later kept with the signed original treaty. I attach a blank certificate form and two examples as completed. Once this arduous is completed Nationality and Treaty Department usually offer suitable refreshment (usually sherry or in the case of Arab countries coffee or tea). The occasion is quite informal.
task
3.
1
want
We are quite happy to fit in with whatever the Chinese in the way of a ceremony and we assume that the two governments will be represented by Zhou Nan and the Ambassador. We agree with the Governor that there would be no need for Hong Kong participation at a low key affair (Hong Kong telno 435 refers).
CC:
RP Margolis, Hong Kong Miss Shepherd, NTD
your ear
Voucher.
JN Powell
(46)
Hong Kong Department
RESTRICTED