TNAG-0677-FCO40-826-Representation-of-Hong-Kong-at-Commonwealth-Law-Ministers--M-1977 — Page 3

Page

Mr D F Milton, HK&GD

Reference..........HCS...37.1%...........

Draft to issue 2. See below

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COMMONWEALTH LAW MINISTERS' MEETING: HONG KONG REPRESENTATION

1. Dennis Fowler's minute of 16 June.

2. I have today received a reply from the Lord Chancellor's Office to Dennis Fowler's letter of 22 June about the possibility that the Attorney-General of Hong Kong might attend the Winnipeg meeting. The Lord Chancellor has reached the reluctant conclusion that we should not, on this occasion, invite the Attorney-General of Hong Kong to attend the Commonwealth Law Ministers' Meeting.

The Lord Chancellor thinks that, as we will be under an obligation to invite the law ministers of other dependent territories, there is a real risk that the UK Delegation might become too large. However, the Lord Chancellor would not rule out the possibility that law ministers from dependent territories might participate, in some way, at future meetings of Commonwealth Law Ministers. This is something which we might wish to examine after the Winnipeg conference but well in advance of the next meeting. Prior to receipt of this reply the Home Office had also written indicating that they were unhappy about the proposal as they would also have to invite Attornies-General of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

3. May I leave it to you to reply to Mr Hobley's letter of 3 June to Mr Stewart?

CODE 18 - 77

14 July 1977

cc: Miss Stoddart, WIAD

Mr Collins, M&CD

Mr Trew, PDTD

Mr F H Brown, SED

Mr Jasper, HK&GD

D.J. Hallambe

DJ Hollamby

Commonwealth Coordination Department

Mr Rushford, Depty Legal Adviser

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