TNAG-1222-FCO40-1532-Hong-Kong-annual-review-for-1982-1983-1983 — Page 10

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for Hik's porte peters

Of course Hory King as

actions must

be compatible with British policy. But

one of co-operatin

rather than directin

As will be apparent from the chapters dealing

with Hong Kong's formal constitutional position,

in harvien

the Foreign & Commonwealth Office are in theory in

dirset

L

a position to dictate to the Hong Kong Government

on a wide range of subjects. In practice, as so De relationship is often happens in the British system, things are

rather different and the theoretical powers are not

customarily exercised. The Foreign & Commonwealth

Office takes considerable care to ensure that the

Hong Kong Government is consulted in advance about

issues likely to affect Hong Kong as well as on the

drafting of answers to the large number of

parliamentary questions on Hong Kong which are

tabled each year.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office

performs a very valuable role in ensuring that the

rest of the Whiteball machinery is made aware of

Hong Kong's interests (and these are not by any

means always the same as those of the U.K.) in

subjects for which other Government departments

are responsible.

For example, it is always

necessary to consider when an international

agreement is being negotiated or entered into by

Close

the United Kingdom) whether the validity of such an

agreement should be extended to Hong Kong.

consultation with the relevant departments of the

Hong Kong Government is necessary and where the

channels of communications do not already exist the

Political Adviser's Office can help set them up

through the co-operation of the relevant departments in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

office.]

C.S. 209

/The