RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
FM FCO
TELNO 84
TO DESKBY 14080OZ UKMIS VIENNA
OF 13145OZ OCTOBER 87
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
91
HULD 385
RECEIVI
-GISTRY
3 0 OCT 1987
015611 MDHOAN 0343
CER
FOR MOSS. PLEASE PASS TO MULLOY, HONG KONG COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS.
UN CONVENTION ON PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES 1971:
EXTENSION TO HONG KONG.
1.
WITH REFERENCE TO TELECON MULLOY/ARKWRIGHT,
FOLLOWING IS A
SUMMARY OF LEGAL ADVISER'S VIEWS ON EXTENSION TO HONG KONG OF
1971 CONVENTION
QUOTE. THE PURPOSE OF ARTICLE 28 OF THE PSYCHOTROPIC CONVENTION IS TO REFLECT THE PROBABILITIES OF THERE BEING SEPARATE
LEGISLATION AND SEPARATE ADMINISTRATIONS, AND IT FOLLOWS THAT WHERE WE EXTEND THE PSYCHOTROPIC CONVENTION TO DEPENDENT TERRITORIES, IT WOULD ACCORD WITH THE PROBABLE INTENTION OF THE CONVENTION, THAT IF WE WISHED THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES TO BE TREATED SEPARATELY WE SHOULD DECLARE THEM AS SEPARATE REGIONS FOR
THE PURPOSES OF THE CONVENTION.
IT WILL SUIT HONG KONG'S PURPOSE TO ADVANCE THAT CONSTRUCTION
SINCE CHINA IS ALSO A PARTY TO THE PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES
CONVENTION. AND HONG KONG WILL WISH TO MAINTAIN ITS SEPARATENESS OF ADMINISTRATION AFTER 1997. IF CHINA IS WILLING TO GO ALONG WITH THAT CONSTRUCTION, THE LANGUAGE OF THE CONVENTION SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM: THE LANGUAGE IN ARTICLE 28 HAS NO QUOTE
COLONIAL UNQUOTE ASSOCIATIONS. BUT THIS CONSTRUCTION IS NOT A
COMPELLING ONE AND WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW THE CHINESE REACT WHEN WE CONSULT THEM UNDER THE GUIDELINES. UNQUOTE.
2.
AS WE WERE UNABLE TO CONTACT MULLOY THIS AFTERNOON, PLEASE ENSURE THAT HE RECEIVES THE MESSAGE TO TELEPHONE HONG KONG
DEPARTMENT BEFORE HIS MEETING WITH THE CHINESE. WE FEEL IT IS
PREFERABLE THAT HE SHOULD NOT/NOT FLOAT WITH THE CHINESE ANY
IDEAS ON HONG KONG'S FUTURE STATUS UNDER THE UN CONVENTION.
THERE IS AN AGREED FORUM AND PROCEDURE FOR SUCH CONSULTATION IN THE JLG SUB-GROUP ON IRO, AND THE CONVENTION HAS NOT/NOT YET TACKLED THERE.
BEEN
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