CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1529
OF 12120OZ MAY 89
CONFIDENTIAL
нко 384/3
TOP COPY Q DIST, ?
34)
065204
MDLIAN 0474
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
NC 1516 (33)
YOUR TELNOS 904 AND 883, OUR TELNO 1306: EXTRADITION
WE HAVE REFLECTED FURTHER ON OUR PAPER FOR THE CHINESE SIDE, PARTICULARLY WITH REGARD TO THE DANGERS TO WHICH YOU REFER IN PARA 1 OF YOUR TELNO 883, AND INTEND TO MAKE SOME AMENDMENTS.
2. WE ACCEPT THE IMPORTANCE OF PROCEEDING SOON WITH THE NEGOTIATION OF A FEW TREATIES, WHILST KEEPING THE SUBJECT MATTER OF ANY FURTHER CONSULTATION WITH THE CHINESE TO THE MINIMUM NECESSARY. WE MUST IN ANY CASE CONSULT ON THE DRAFT AGREEMENT AFTER IT IS INITIALLED, AND THAT WILL BE THE APPROPRIATE TIME TO EXPLAIN ANY CHANGES ON POINTS OF DETAIL WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED AS PART OF THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS. SIMILARLY, WE ARE NOW OF THE VIEW THAT WE SHOULD NOT ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION OF OUR IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION AT THIS VERY EARLY STAGE. TO DO SO RUNS THE DANGER OF RAISING DEBATE PREMATURELY. RATHER, WE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER WE HAVE AGREED SEVERAL INITIALLED AGREEMENTS WITH THE CHINESE, AND HAVE FINALISED OUR OWN LEGISLATIVE PLAN. WE TRUST THAT YOU WILL AGREE THAT THIS IS A LESS HAZARDOUS STRATEGY. WE WOULD HOWEVER PREPARE DEFENSIVE MATERIAL FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF TALKS IN CASE THE CHINESE RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT LEGISLATION, WHEREBY WE MIGHT PUT FORWARD AS PRELIMINARY VIEWS WHAT WE NOW PROPOSE SHOULD BE DELETED FROM THE PAPER.
3. ACCORDINGLY WE WOULD PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE PAPER FAXED TO WOOD. SOME ARE MINOR:
(A) PARA 1 LAST SENTENCE : AMEND ''PRIOR TO'' TO
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''ON'
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(B) PARA 2: REPLACE FIRST TWO SENTENCES WITH: ''SINCE JLG X THE BRITISH SIDE HAVE SOUGHT TO ARRIVE AT GENERAL OUTLINES AS TO HOW THE SYSTEM WILL WORK IN PRACTICE IN LIGHT OF THE AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE ON THE RIGHT TO ISSUE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CE.!!
(C) PARA 2, LAST SENTENCE: DELETE LEGAL AND PRACTICAL ''
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