CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 137
OF 30160OZ JANUARY 92
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 026/3
ра
41
051502
MDHOAN 8965
File pa polly
引
TOP COPY
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11 FEB 1992
Q DIST?
ZB.
INFO IMMEDIATE BTC HONG KONG, UKREP JLG HONG KONG
PERSONAL FOR PS/GH FROM RICKETTS, HKD
BTC PERSONAL FOR SBTC
UKREP JLG PERSONAL FOR PAUL
(33)
OUR TELNO 29: VISIT BY LORD CAITHNESS TO HONG KONG: FUTURE CONSULATE-GENERAL PTG
1. OUR TELNO 2200 OF 30 DECEMBER EXPLAINED OUR DIFFICULTIES WITH THE DRAFT PTG. WE SUBSEQUENTLY AGREED (OUR TELNO 15 TO BTC) THAT THE BEST WAY FORWARD WOULD BE FOR THE DIRECTOR OF BUILDINGS AND LANDS TO DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF THE PTG WITH BTC.
9
HKD 406/1
2. FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN OF THE PROGRESS OF NEGOTIATIONS SO FAR, IT APPEARS THAT NOONE IN BUILDINGS AND LANDS IS APPROACHING THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY SENSE OF THE POLITICAL ISSUES AT STAKE. THE PTG TERMS NEED TO REFLECT THE FACT THAT THESE WILL BE DIPLOMATIC (OR TO BE MORE PRECISE, CONSULAR) PREMISES, AND THAT THE SARG COULD AT SOME POINT AFTER 1997 BECOME A HOSTILE LANDLORD. (ARTICLE 31
OF THE VIENNA CONVENTION ON CONSULAR PREMISES IS CLEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE POINT THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES MAY NOT ENTER CONSULAR PREMISES WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE HEAD OF MISSION
- (EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF FIRE OR OTHER DISASTER). WE WOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE ON THE POLICY SIDE (PERHAPS IN CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS) TO ENCOURAGE BUILDINGS AND LANDS TO LOOK AT THE WIDER PICTURE AND TO DEVISE A SUITABLE REDRAFT OF THE PTG TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF OUR NEEDS.
3. LORD CAITHNESS IS KEEN TO HELP BRING THIS MATTER TO A SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION, DURING HIS FORTHCOMING VISIT. IF MATTERS ARE NOT BEING RESOLVED BY THAT TIME, HE WOULD PROPOSE TO DISCUSS IT WITH CS.
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THOSE CONCERNED COULD LET US HAVE AN UPDATE FOR INCLUSION IN THE VISIT BRIEFING (DESKBY 11083OZ
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