UNCLASSIFIED
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE PEKING
TELNO 289
OF 301211Z MARCH 90
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG
UNCLASSIFIED
142663
MDHOAN 6234
HKC0319
RECEN
{
•
REGISTRY
3 APR 1990
REGISTRY
4/4
YOUR TELNO 470: ASIASAT
1.
THERE ARE TWO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR OWN PROPOSED DRAFT AND THE CHINESE NOTE. WE HAD PROPOSED A NON-LEGALLY BINDING QUOTE ARRANGEMENT UNQUOTE. THE CHINESE DRAFT HOWEVER CONSTITUTES AN AGREEMENT, WHICH IS BINDING IN INTERNATIONAL LAW AND WILL REQUIRE PUBLICATION IN THE TREATY SERIES, LAYING BEFORE PARLIAMENT AND REGISTRATION WITH THE UN. THE CHINESE NOTE IS ALSO LESS SPECIFIC REGARDING THE OBLIGATION TO INDEMNIFY THE UK FOR CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION.
2.
IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO CONCLUDE THE EXCHANGE QUICKLY, WE ARE PREPARED TO ACCEPT THESE CHANGES. YOU SHOULD THEREFORE CONFIRM THIS TO THE MFA AND REPLY TO THE CHINESE NOTE IN THE TERMS SET OUT IN MIFT (QUOTING THE TEXT OF THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE CHINESE NOTE IN FULL).
PLEASE FOLLOW THE PROCEDURES SET OUT IN DSP VOLUME 66, WHEN THE EXCHANGE OF NOTES HAS TAKEN PLACE.
3.
4. PLEASE SEE MIFT.
HURD
YYYY
ΜΑΙΝ
37
MINIMAL
SEND
FED
HKD
DISTRIBUTION
39
LEGAL ADVISERS
NTD
COMED
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