TNAG-1455-FCO40-1978-Hong-Kong-Letters-Patent-amendments-1986 — Page 47

CONFIDENTIAL

"XIII. (1) The Governor,

in Our name and on

Our behalf, may make and execute

grants and

dispositions of any lands within the Colony

that may be lawfully granted or

by Us."

disposed of

Since new leases may now extend beyond 1997 (and we

and the Chinese have now agreed on a new form of lease

document which will be valid after 1997) we believe, as

do the Hong Kong Government, that it would now be

appropriate to alter the style under which these grants

are made. We propose to submit to Her Majesty in Council

very soon a proposal to remove the words "in Our name

and" from Article XIII of the Letters Patent. This

change would recognise that land grants and regrants may

hence forth extend beyond the period during which the

United Kingdom has sovereignty and jurisdiction in Hong

Kong. All grants and regrants would continue to be made

by the Governor on Her Majesty's behalf up to 30 June

1997: but the lease documents which we have agreed upon

with the Chinese will not henceforth indicate that the

grant is made

is made in The Queen's name. The legal position,

namely that all land in Hong Kong remains in the

ownership of the Crown until 30 June 1997, would not be

affected.

I should be grateful to know whether any objection

at

would be seen to this proposal Exom the Palace.

CONFIDENTIAL

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