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HONG KONG: CEREMONY TO MARK TRANSFER OF SOVEREIGNTY
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1. You spoke to Miss Kazer and myself about possible independence ceremony precedents that might be of use in planning the 1997 ceremonies in Hong Kong to mark the end of British responsibility for the colony.
2. I agree with Miss Kazer that Brunei would not be a good example to investigate because it was not a colony or protectorate but a state in treaty relations with the UK. As such it had always enjoyed much independence in its internal affairs and the ceremonies to mark the "resumption" of its full international status were organised by the Sultan's government and not the UK.
3. It is difficult to suggest a direct parallel for Hong Kong because the overwhelming number of the dependent territories relinquished by the UK have been brought to independence as sovereign states and full Commonwealth members. In the case of such territories after about 1956 (the independence of Ghana and Malaya) the procedures took on an almost "production line" quality. Such ceremonies regularly featured flag lowering/raisings with fireworks and military music/ national anthems, usually at local midnight, and with British royal representation and some sort of public and symbolic parliamentary/legal/political participation eg at Uganda's independence in 1962 the Duke of Kent handed the new
constitutional documents to the Prime Minister Dr Milton Obote at such a public ceremony. I attach a copy of a despatch describing Fiji's independence which gives a more detailed example of what was involved.
4.
The difference with Hong Kong is, of course, that it is not to be granted independence within the Commonwealth but incorporated into the territory of a neighbouring state. Precedents for this are few. Some nineteenth century re/incorporations took place (such as the Moskito Coast in 1860, the Ionian Islands in 1864 and Heligoland in 1890) but these are unlikely to produce useful guidelines being too far removed from modern practice. Since 1945, in post colonial times, British Somaliland provides the example of a territory absorbed by a larger neighbour but it experienced about a month's independence (in 1960) before the union was finalised. In 1963 Singapore, Sarawak and Sabah were joined with Malaya (already a full Commonwealth member) to form the Federation of Malaysia. I attach an extract from the relevant CRO Despatch of 4 November 1963 which gives some idea of the ceremonies; if you wanted more detail Miss Kazer would be happy to investigate further.
5. There is one parallel which is close in context but, unfortunately, not in time.
The enclave of Wei Hai Wei was leased
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