2
4.
Hong Kong is not isolated from this trend.
Requests by Hong Kong for other jurisdictions to take evidence are, for instance, usually made by the Hong Kong Legal Department directly to the legal department in the country concerned. Requests for the surrender of fugitive offenders are frequently made from one legal department to another through the consulate of the country in Hong Kong.
5.
The British side's only concern is that requests be processed effectively and speedily. We believe that this aim will be best achieved by direct contact between the relevant "appropriate authorities".
6.
Το ensure
that there will not be any doubts over authorities to be identified, we are
the status of the
prepared to amend our modified proposal of 17 May 1991 further by replacing the term "appropriate authority" with "the authority for the purposes of Article 10 [of the
Convention]". We trust that this further modification will
address the Chinese concerns fully. We hope the Chinese
side can now accept our proposal that Hong Kong be identified as an authority of the UK for the communication and receipt of requests in the UK's covering despatch when it ratifies the Convention and the Protocol in respect of Hong Kong. The proposed UK declaration will apply also to other British dependent territories.
7.
Accordingly, the
British side wish to suggest the
covering
following form of words be included in the
despatch to the IMO Secretariat