Commonwealth War Graves Commission
2 Marlow Road Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 7DX
Telex 847526 Comgra G
Telephone Maidenhead (0628) 34221 (ext...........) Fax (0628) 771208
CJ Sainty Esq
Hong Kong Department
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
LONDON
SW1A 2AH
4KS 225/1
Your reference SAIAEM
Our reference
EXT 4/161
Date
15 July 1992
Dear Mr Jainty.
CM
HONG KONG: POST 1997 ARRANGEMENTS FOR WAR GRAVES
pa.
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You may be interested to see the enclosed note on the CWGC briefing of Mr Patten, and find it useful to be brought up to date vis à vis the CWGC's efforts to make suitable arrangements for the maintenance of war graves in Hong Kong after 1997.
2. As indicated in my letter of 23 October 1990, we have been concentrating on legislative action in Hong Kong, with the longer term aim of seeking a comprehensive War Graves Agreement (WGA). With regard to the former, earlier objective you are aware that the Commission's legal adviser wrote to Mr Clement Mak, Constitutional Affairs, on 23 October 1990, copying our proposals to you. We subsequently heard that these proposals had been received and were being studied; but we have had no substantive reply to date.
As we
3. I think that it is worth re-iterating that we do see this amending of legislation very much as an intermediate measure. have consistently maintanined since the mid 1980's, we remain anxious to have a fully fledged WGA signed by our member governments and the Chinese, in order to properly protect the Commission's interests after 1997. We have, as you know, accepted advice that it would have been inopportune to press for a WGA at earlier stages in discussions, but it is still our desire that the subject be raised when the time is propitious.
4. Whilst Mr Patten is aware of this, I would be most grateful if our continuing wish to have the subject raised in discussions could ́be registered in the appropriate official quarter.
J P Gee
Yours
• Yours siicerely.
Juny ga
Director of Information and Secretariat