TNAG-0377-FCO40-423-Defence-and-Oversea-Policy-Committee-review-of-UK-relations--1973 — Page 29

DANA A IU

Foreign and Commonwealth Office London SW1

J W D Margetson Esq

F XXXX XSGXXXXXEEQ XONⱭ CABINET OFFICE

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Telephone 01-

Your reference

Our reference

Dato 27 November

NAKK "HKK 3/548/15-

23

HONG KONG'S RELATIONS WITH THE UK

1. At the meeting on 23 November of the Official Working Group on Hong Kong, GEN 190, it was agreed that we should draft a paper by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary for a DOP meeting on

5 December. A number of the relevant questions are still under consideration, but, if we are to meet the DOP's timetable, we must begin drafting now.

1.2.

w/17

I accordingly attach a draft memorandum. This will have to be brought up to date at the end of this week. In particular the passage on the death sentence, which assumes that the Governor is about to decide in a particular case that the law should take its course, will have to be re-written if he decides otherwise.

3. I would be very grateful for your early comments, to reach me by 29 November. It is obviously desirable that we should agree on the analysis, and as far as possible, on the conclusions. But since this will be a memorandum by the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, other Departments will still be able to propose different solutions in the briefs for their Ministers. A case in point may be the Fugitive Offenders Act.

Also sent to:

Mrs M E Hedley-Miller, HM Treasury

A C Stuart

Hong Kong & Indian Ocean Department

MG de Winton Esq CBE MC, Law Officers Dept.

SL Edwards Esq CMG, DTI

A J E Brennan Esq, Home Office

JD Bryars Esq, MOD

CONFIDENTIAL

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