CONFIDENTIAL
ZCZC
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG
TELNO
OF 151003Z OCTOBER 93
YOUR TELNOS 1575 AND 1576: EXTENSION OF 1988 UN
DRUGS CONVENTION TO HONG KONG
ROUTINE
1. WE WELCOME EXCO'S DECISION. WE WONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE
BETTER TO PRE-EMPT THE INEVITABLE CHINESE QUESTIONS BY INCLUDING
IN PARA 3 OF SECOND TUR DETAILS OF THE RELEVANT EXISTING HONG
KONG LEGISLATION AND WHAT NEW LEGISLATION, IF ANY, IS REQUIRED.
THIS COULD INCLUDE REFERENCES TO CONFISCATION LAWS, EXTRADITION
PROVISIONS, MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE (MLA) PROVISIONS AND CRIMINAL
LAWS WHICH ESTABLISH AS OFFENCES THE VARIOUS ACTS LISTED IN
ARTICLE 3.
2.
FOLLOWING THE RECENT YIN HE INCIDENT, THE CHINESE MAY WELL BE
SENSITIVE ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF ARTICLE 17. GIVEN THAT HONG
KONG IS NOT A FLAG STATE, WE ASSUME THAT YOU INTEND TO
COMMUNICATE WITH FLAG STATES THROUGH UK DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS
BEFORE 1997, AND THROUGH CHINA AFTERWARDS. IF SO, WOULD THERE BE
ANY ADVANTAGE IN MAKING EXPLICIT REFERENCE TO THIS IN THE
SPEAKING NOTE?
HKD
W A WYVER
3.
270-3287