TNAG-0531-FCO40-626-Application-of-International-Labour-Convention-to-Hong-Kong-1975 — Page 342

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IN

RE

G66B/G)

-2 JUN17/3

Mr Foggon Mr Wotton

(OLA

(HKIOD K245)

APPLICATION OF IL CONVENTION NO 5 TO HONG KONG

1. With reference to my minute of 19 May, a reply has now been received from Hong Kong to our request that the Government should amend the brief for the 60th Session of the IL Conference, to indicate more positively a willingness to comply with the Direct Request relating to Convention No. 5. Telegram No. 522 of 26 May refers.

2.

Although the wording is a little softer, in essence there is no change in the Government's position. In other words no move towards amending the ordinance is intended to be made before the overall revision which is expected to follow the Labour Adviser's report referred to in paragraph 13 of folio (2).

3. I have tried to make thebest of this uncompromising statement in the draft brief now attached but bearing in mind that this request has been on the stocks since 1963 the real position is that the Hong Kong Government does not intend to take any action unless and until it is ready to do so for reasons of its own. This is the kind of attitude I fear will be taken if declarations which the Government is at present seeking to make in respect of a number of Conventions are deposited when the law is less than satisfactory in all respects.

4.

I do not know how much discretion the Labour Commissioner has in matters of this kind but if Mr Foggon or HKIOD consider there would be any advantage in so doing, perhaps advantage could be taken of his presence in the UK before and after the Conference, to attempt to persuade him that there would be considerably less work both for his department as well as for us if matters of the kind covered by this Direct Request could be dealt with more expeditiously. This is a very real practical consideration, leaving aside the possibility of critical, politically motivated, comment which is likely to arise.

27 May 1975

26

heluswan

Miss M M Swan

Gibraltar & General Dept K273A MA 246

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