TNAG-1328-FCO40-1748-Future-of-Hong-Kong-rights-of-individuals-1984 — Page 3

CODE 18-77

Reference.

Mr Powell HKD

FUTURE OF HONG KONG : INTERNATIONAL COVENANTS

HKKc4c/38

RECEIVED IN AL

2 1 SEP 1984

VISK OFFICES

1040/14 (525)

PA

n GR Y Lo 040/14 (826)

1.

I have checked Hong Kong telnos 2815 and 2816 which set out the declarations and reservations made by the United Kingdom in respect of the UN Covenants on economic, social and cultural rights and on civil and political rights. I agree the Hong Kong extracts.

2.

Hong Kong wish to know the relevance to Hong Kong of the reservations in relation to Article 23 of the Covenants on civil and political rights. I am pretty sure that this basically related to the old rule that wives took the domicile of their husbands. That rule however is no longer applicable. Domicile is also relevant to recognition of polygamous marriages and divorces. However the position is extremely complex.

3.

I will need time to dig up the papers relevant to our reservation and to current United Kingdom law. This will take some time. We should therefore respond to Hong Kong by telling them that we will comment on paragraph 2a of their telno 2814 in due course.

JD P Bickford Legal Counsellor K 197 233 3923

20 September 1984

du. Remett

Ула

Hare autori been taken on x

28

Dials.

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