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Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW1A 2AH
fa new file please
Gadberspace
Ms Patricia Judd BNSC
Millbank Tower
Millbank
London
Dear Patricia,
Telephone 01-
Your reference
Our reference
HKC031/9
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 19 JAN 1990
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
REGISTRY Action Taken
NHAL
9 January 1990
3
EXTENSION OF THE OUTER SPACE ACT 1986 TO THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES
1.
2.
Please refer to your letter of 21 December to David Hollamby.
You asked for information on several points. The current position on Hong Kong legislation is that drafting instructions for local legislation have been issued and a draft bill is now under preparation. Hong Kong officials are aware of the need to process the legislation as quickly as possible, as the satellite is due to be launched in April.
3. The FCO is involved with ASIASAT through our Commercial Management and Exports Department (COMED), which deals with East/West multilateral economic questions including export control policy and COCOM. A US case for the proposed export to China of ASIASAT 1 was approved by all COCOM partners on 13 June 1989, subject to separate approval of a security control plan. The UK approval was, as always, based on strategic grounds. The US authorities have recently assured us that a US licence will not be approved unless the security plan being prepared by the US authorities responsible for strategic exports is approved by COCOM.
Regarding the extension of the Outer Space Act to Ascension Island, I enclose a copy of a letter from the Administrator of Ascension Island, confirming that he has no objections to the extension of the Act.
4.
JR2ABQ
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