ARRANGEMENTS AFTER 1997
RESTRICTED
3.
11.
The CWGC enjoys at present (in some respects under fairly informal arrangements) and will continue to require in future:-
(a) security of tenure of the sites of the war cemeteries, graves and memorials, and protection from disturbance.
(b) recognition of its functions and of its responsibility for the maintenance of the Commonwealth war graves and memorials and other graves in its care in Hong Kong.
(c) control over exhumations from the graves, other than such as may be essential in the overriding public interest.
(d) the right to carry out maintenance of the graves and memorials.
12.
(e)
facilities whereby its own inspecting officers, and relatives of the war dead, may visit the graves and memorials subject to any applicable visa requirements.
(£)
exemption from taxes, duties and other charges including customs or import duties to which the Commission would other wise be liable in connection with the carrying out of its official functions.
(NB Customs duty exemption is unnecessary at present while Hong Kong remains a free port; exemption should be provided
for in case this changes.)
The CWGC would welcome the advice of the FCO upon whether, and at what stage, there should be referred to the Sino-British Joint Liaison Group a proposal, which represents the CWGC's present preferred course, for the negotiation of a war graves agreement between the CWGC's member governments (as detailed in paragraph 1 above, but possibly omitting South Africa) and the future government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) relating to the care of the Commonwealth war graves and memorials in "Hong Kong, China" after
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