CONFIDENTIAL
031/29
164146
MDLIAN 2019
TOP COPY
Q DIST?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2898
OF 150503Z DECEMBER 92
INFO ROUTINE UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
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سعه
file
IRO SUB-GROUP : MULTILATERAL TREATIES: WARFARE AND DISARMAMENT
JLG RESTRICTED
1 WE ARE FAXING TO MARSHALL, HKD THREE DRAFT DISCUSSION PAPERS IN THE WARFARE AND DISARMAMENT CATEGORY (ITEMS 22.12 - 22.15, 22.17 AND 22.19). WE WOULD LIKE TO HAND THEM OVER TO THE CHINESE SIDE AND SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS, IF ANY, AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
2.
WE BELIEVE THAT IT CAN BE ARGUED REASONABLY THAT ITEMS 22.12-
22.15 FALL WITHIN A NON-DEFENCE RELATED CATEGORY OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW. WE RECOGNISE, HOWEVER, THAT THE REMAINING TREATIES DO FALL SQUARELY WITHIN THE FIELD OF DEFENCE. AS SUCH
THE CHINESE SIDE MAY TAKE THE VIEW THAT THE QUESTION OF THEIR
APPLICATION TO THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR IS NOT A MATTER FOR
AGREEMENT WITHIN THE SUB-GROUP.
3.
WE HAVE, NEVERTHELESS, PREPARED PAPERS ON ITEMS 22.17 AND 22.19 SINCE THE PRC IS PARTY TO THE TREATY/CONVENTION AND, IN PRACTICE, IS THEREFORE UNLIKELY TO OBJECT TO THEIR CONTINUED APPLICATION. IT IS, HOWEVER, DIFFICULT TO ARGUE ANY PARTICULAR BENEFIT TO HONG KONG IN THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF THESE TREATIES AND, IF YOU PREFERRED, WE WOULD BE CONTENT TO DELETE THEM. WE HAVE CONSIDERED ITEM 22.20 CAREFULLY BUT, AS THE PRC IS NOT A PARTY TO THIS CONVENTION, WE SEE NO REALISTIC PROSPECT OF THE CHINESE SIDE AGREEING TO ITS CONTINUED APPLICATION. SUBJECT TO YOUR VIEWS, WE DO NOT PROPOSE TO PUT IT FORWARD TO THE CHINESE
SIDE.
PATTEN
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