OCMIAN 2114
CONFIDENTIAL
PP HOKON
FM FCOLN TO HOKON
061600Z DEC
GRS 307
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1932 A
OF 061600Z DECEMBER 85
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
2114 1
нии 040 135 040135
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
10 DEC 1985
DECK OFFICER
INDEX
EGISTRY
PA
tion Taken
w
14
HONG KONG TELNO 2710 AND PEKING TELNO 1782: HONG KONG AGREEMENT:
RESTRICTED: LOCALISATION OF LAWS
1.
THE ARGUMENT FOR DRAWING THE CHINESE SIDE'S ATTENTION TO
THE REFERENCE TO LOCALISATION OF LAW IN THE ANNUAL REPORT IS NOT
CLEAR CUT. THE NEED TO LOCALISE WAS MADE CLEAR IN THE
DEBATES ON THE HONG KONG BILL EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND REFERRED TO
IN THE PRINTED EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM ATTACHED TO THE BILL. WE
ARE WORRIED THAT BY DRAWING ATTENTION TO THIS ONE PARTICULAR
POINT IN THE WHITE PAPER WE MIGHT START AN UNNECESSARY HARE. WE ACCEPT HOWEVER THAT THERE IS A DANGER THAT THE CHINESE MIGHT MISUNDERSTAND THE REFERENCE IN PARA 13 OF THE ANNUAL REPORT, AND WE AGREE ON BALANCE THAT IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THE MATTER TO THE
CHINESE.
2.
ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT HONG KONG ARE NOT PROPOSING TO
PUBLISH THE ANNUAL REPORT SEPARATELY WE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO GET
COPIES TO PEKING UNTIL AT LEAST ONE WEEK AFTER PUBLICATION. WE
THEREFORE THINK THAT INITIALLY THE EMBASSY SHOULD DO NO MORE THAN
TELL THE CHINESE IN ADVANCE OF THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE REPORT AND PROMISE THEM COPIES AS SOON AS THEY ARE RECEIVED.
WE THINK THAT THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT ANY
3.
MISUNDERSTANDING ON THE LOCALISATION QUESTION WOULD THEN BE FOR
1
CONFIDENTIAL
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