CONFIDENTIAL
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3.
THE UNITED KINGDOM PROPOSE TO RATIFY THIS TREATY ON 17
DECEMBER 1986 OR SOON AFTER. BUT ITS OPERATION WILL BE SUSPENDED
IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG (BY AGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
UNITED STATES) PENDING CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT.
RATIFICATION OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY TREATY ON OR AFTER 17 DECEMBER
WILL THUS NOT/NOT CREATE ANY NEW INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND
OBLIGATIONS FOR HONG KONG.
4.
THE SUBJECT OF EXTRADITION ARRANGEMENTS AS THEY RELATE TO
HONG KONG IS ONE TO WHICH WE HAVE BEEN GIVING CAREFUL THOUGHT.
WE ARE NOW CONSIDERING PROPOSALS WHICH IT IS OUR INTENTION TO PUT
TO THE CHINESE SIDE FOR DISCUSSION AT JLGVI. IN OUR VIEW IT
WILL BE SENSIBLE AND, WE HOPE, HELPFUL TO THE CHINESE SIDE IF WE
DELAY GIVING THEM THE TEXT OF THE UK/USA SUPPLEMENTARY
EXTRADITION TREATY UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE ARE ALSO READY TO PUT
FORWARD OUR MORE GENERAL PROPOSALS ON THE SUBJECT. THIS WILL
ENABLE THE CHINESE SIDE TO CONSIDER THE WIDER QUESTION OF
EXTRADITION AND THE SPECIFIC TREATY IN PARALLEL. THROUGHOUT THIS
TIME ITS OPERATION IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG WILL OF COURSE
CONTINUE TO BE SUSPENDED.
ENDS
5.
IF ASKED, PEKING MAY SAY THAT THE UK GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO
RATIFY THE SUPPLEMENTARY TREATY SOON FOR COMPELLING POLITICAL
REASONS. ITS MAIN INTENT IS TO DEAL WITH TERRORISTS WHO HAVE
FLED TO THE UNITED STATES. THERE IS A PRESSING NEED THAT IT
SHOULD BECOME EFFECTIVE IN RESPECT OF REQUESTS FOR EXTRADITION
FROM THE UNITED STATES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE SUPPLEMENTARY
TREATY IS LIKELY TO HAVE A NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT IN ITS APPLICATION
TO HONG KONG ONCE IT IS EXTENDED TO INCLUDE THE TERRITORY.
YOU SHOULD NOT (NOT) SPECIFICALLY RELATE THIS
6.
NOTIFICATION TO THE AGREED PROCEDURES ON THE EXTENSION OF
INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS, SINCE AT THIS STAGE WE ARE
NOT (NOT) MAKING A FIRM PROPOSAL THAT THIS IS AN AGREEMENT WHICH
IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO APPLY TO THE HONG KONG SAR AFTER 1997.
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