TNAG-1253-FCO40-1586-Third-countries-and-the-future-of-Hong-Kong-1983 — Page 38

FUTURE OF HONG KONG:

POSSIBLE LINK WITH THE PRINCIPALITY OF

ANDORRA

1. WE HAVE LEARNT FROM THE SPANIARDS HERE THAT IN MARCH THIS YEAR

WESTERN EUROPEAN DEPARTMENT OF THE MFA APPROACHED THE SPANISH

EMBASSY TO ASK ABOUT ANDORRA, ON THE PRETEXT THAT THEY INTENDED

TO WRITE AN ARTICLE ABOUT IT. THEY HAVE MADE CONTACT ON A NUMBER

OF OCCASIONS SINCE THEN, SEEKING FURTHER POINTS OF DETAIL. THEIR

INTEREST APPARENTLY LAY IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE ADMINISTATIVE

SYSTEMS. WE KNOW THAT ANDORRA IS THE OONLY COUNTRY IN THE

WORLD WHOSE SOVEREIGNTY IS EXERCISED JOINTLY, THE TWO CO-PRINCES

BEING THE FRENCH PRESIDENT AND ARCHBISHOP OF ARGEL. WE

UNDERSTAND THAT LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE POWER RESTS WITH A COUNCIL

COMPOSED OF THIRTY ELECTED MEMBERS AND A SINGLE REPRESENTATIVE OF

EACH OF THE CO-PRINCES. THE PRINCELY REPRESENTATIVES APPARENTLY

HAVE THE POWER OF VETO OVER COUNCIL DECISIONS. THIS APPLIES

TO BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS.

2. THIS SUDDEN CHINESE INTEREST IN ANDORRA IS ODD, AND MAY BE CONNECTED TO THEIR THINKING ON HONG KONG. IF IT IS, IT

PROBABLY REPRESENTS LOW LEVEL RESEARCH IN THE MFA. THE

CHINESE POSITION IN THE TALKS WOULD CLEARLY RULE OUT

ANY QUESTION OF JOINT EXERCISE OF SOVEREIGNTY, AND IT IS HIGHLY IMPROBABLE THAT THEY WILL COMPROMISE ON THIS. BUT IT IS

JUST POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS

MIGHT HAVE RELEVANCE. WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD DO

A LITTLE BACKGROUND RESEARCH INTO THE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS IN

AND CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION OF ANDORRA AND LET US KNOW THE RESULTS.

3. MEANWHILE WE SHALL SEE IF WE CAN GET ANYTHING FURTHER OUR

OF THE SPANIARDS HERE.

SIGNED.

.A C GALSWORTHY

PARA 3 WA FURTHER OUT