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172402

MDHOAN 4170

THIS INTO A UK/FRENCH TUSSLE. BEFORE WE COULD PUT A RECOMMENDATION ON THESE LINES TO MINISTERS, WE WOULD NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRACIOUS REQUEST PROCEDURE. YOU ARE ALREADY LOOKING INTO THIS. A MEMBER OF THE HONG KONG ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS, MR GRAHAM GRANT, WILL BE IN PARIS NEXT WEEK TO PURSUE DISCUSSIONS WITH HONG KONG'S LEGAL ADVISERS THERE, AND WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH THE EMBASSY TO DISCUSS THIS FURTHER.

5. THERE IS SOME URGENCY.

SINCE HONG KONG ONLY HAVE UNTIL

IT

20 MAY TO LODGE A GRACIOUS REQUEST. WE SHALL THEREFORE NEED TO SUBMIT TO MINISTERS BY THE END OF NEXT WEEK AT THE LATEST. WOULD BE USEFUL TO HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM YOU BY 1309OOZ.

HURD

YYYY

MAIN

HKD

32

LEGAL ADVISERS

NTCD

WED

NNNN

DISTRIBUTION

32

PS/MR GOODLAD

SIR JOHN COLES

MR BURNS

MR GREENSTOCK

PAGE

2

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