REGIONS AND RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND PARTICIPATE IN
RELEVANT INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND CONFERENCES NOT LIMITED TO STATES. THIS, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA TO BE ESTABLISHED IN 1907 WILL MEET THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR BECOMING A SEPARATE MEMBER OF THE CCC AS A SEPARATE
CUSTOMS TERRITORY IN THE LIGHT OF ARTICLE 11(A) (11) OF THE
CONVENTIONS ESTABLISHING THE CCC. PRIOR TO THE PESUMPTION OF THE
EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG KONG BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HONG KONG ADMINISTRATION PESTS WITH
THE UNITED KINGDOM. AFTER RESUMING THE EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY OVER
HONG KONG IN 1997, THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WILL HAVE THE
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. THE COMMON DESIRE OF BOTH THE
CHINESE AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS IS THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL APPY
FOR THE STATUS OF A SEPARATE MEMBERSHIP FOR HONG KONG IN THE LIGHT
OF THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHING THE CCC
AND AS FROM 1997, THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION WILL RETAIN SUCH STATUS. TO THIS END, THE CHINESE AND BRITISH SIDES HAVE, THROUGH CONSULTATION, DECIDED THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE TWO
COUNTRIES WILL HAND OVER SEPARATELY THEIR STATEMENTS TO THE CCC.
BELIEVE MY BRITISH COLLEAGUE WHILE CALLING ON YOU EARLIER TODAY HAS
ALREADY HANDED OVER TO YOU THE DRAFT TEXT OF THE BRITISH STATEMENT.
NOW I SHOULD LIKE TO CONVEY TO YOU THE DRAFT TEXT OF STATEMENT OF
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT TO THE CCC AND SEEK YOUR FORMAL ADVICE.
EXCELLENCY, I UNDERSTAND MY BRITISH COLLEAGUE HAS ALSO SOUGHT YOUR ADVICE ON THE RELIABLE MEANS OF CONFIRMING HONG KONG'S STATUS OF
SEPARATE MEMBERSHIP TO THE CCC. WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER YOU
CONSIDER THAT A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE OF MEMBERS WILL BE PEQUIPED
BEFORE HONG KONG CAN ACQUIRE SEPARATE MEMBERSHIP. IF SO, HOW COULD IT BE DONE TO OBTAIN THIS MAJORITY SUPPORT AND WHEN WILL BE THE
APPROPRIATE TIMING ? THESE QUESTIONS ARE ALSO THE CONCERNS OF THE
CHINESE GOVERNMENT. ! SHOULD BE VERY GRATEFUL TO YOU IF YOU COULD
GIVE YOUR VIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS ON THIS MATTER.
EVANS
YYYY
PEHPAN 0877
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D. (FE) DEP.HD/PUSD PS/MR RENTON
MR MCLAREN MR GILLMORE
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
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Confidential