CONFIDENTIAL
•HKC 370/17
012051
MDLIAN 2181
TOP COPY Q DIST?
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 2604
OF 020943Z NOVEMBER 92
AND TO PRIORITY PEKING
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG
ADAPTATION OF LAWS : CROWN IN RELATION TO LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES
WE HAVE PREPARED A DRAFT CONSULTATION PAPER ON THE ADAPTATION
OF LAWS ON THE CONCEPT OF CROWN IN RELATION TO LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES, WHICH IS CONTAINED IN MIFT.
1 -
2.
1 1
UNLIKE OUR FIRST ADAPTATION PROPOSAL ON THE POST OFFICE ORDINANCE, THIS IS AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD PROPOSAL INVOLVING SOME 88 ORDINANCES CONTAINING REFERENCES TO THE ''CROWN' IN RELATION TO LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES. IT IS PROPOSED TO CHANGE SUCH REFERENCES FROM THE ''CROWN' TO THE 'GOVERNMENT''. YOU WILL BE AWARE THAT SIMILAR CHANGES HAVE ALREADY BEEN MADE TO THE WORDING
OF LEASE DOCUMENTS FOLLOWING AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINESE SIDE IN THE LAND COMMISSION IN AUGUST 1985, AND ON THAT BASIS, THE CHINESE SIDE SHOULD HAVE NO GREAT DIFFICULTY WITH THIS ADAPTATION
PROPOSAL.
3.
YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY INDICATED THAT YOU WOULD WISH TO CONSULT THE PALACE WHENEVER CHANGES AFFECTING THE CROWN ARE PROPOSED, AND MAY WISH TO DO SO IN THIS CASE. WE ARE SEPARATELY PREPARING A RESPONSE TO YOUR SUGGESTION FOR SEEKING BLANKET APPROVAL FOR ALL
MINOR CHANGES AFFECTING THE CROWN (BUNTEN'S LETTER OF 5 REFERS), AND WILL LET YOU HAVE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
4 -
OCTOBER
WE HAVE INDICATED TO THE CHINESE SIDE THAT WE WOULD HAND OVER
THIS ACROSS-THE-BOARD PROPOSAL BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR AND
SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF CLEARANCE COULD REACH US EARLY TO ENABLE US TO PRESENT THIS PROPOSAL TO THE CHINESE SIDE NOT LATER THAN DECEMBER THIS YEAR.
PATTEN