TNAG-1655-FCO40-2303-Hong-Kong-and-the-Customs-Co-operation-Council-(CCC)-1987 — Page 170

OCMIAN 1261

CONFIDENTIAL

RR PEKIN

FM FCOLN TO BREMB

290945Z APR

GRS 249

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

CONFIDENTIAL

TO ROUTINE BRUSSELS

TELNO 119

OF 290945Z APRIL 87

INFO UKREP BRUSSELS, HONG KONG, PEKING

111/1

19

TOP COPY Q DIST ?

51261

- 2

MY THIRD IPT: HONG KONG AND THE CCC

1.

FOLLOWING IS TEXT OF DRAFT UK DECLARATION TO THE CCC, ΤΟ

BE HANDED OVER TO THE SG:

BEGINS

I AM INSTRUCTED BY HER MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF

STATE FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS TO REFER TO ARTICLE

II(A)(II) OF THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHING THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION

COUNCIL AND TO INFORM YOU THAT HONG KONG IS A SEPARATE CUSTOMS

TERRITORY AND IS AUTONOMOUS IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL

COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. THE UNITED KINGDOM, AS THE CONTRACTING

PARTY TO THE CONVENTION WHICH HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FORMAL

CONDUCT OF HONG KONG'S DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, THEREFORE PROPOSES

THAT, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAID ARTICLE II(A)(II) AND WITH THE

WISHES OF HONG KONG, HONG KONG BE ADMITTED TO THE COUNCIL AS A

SEPARATE MEMBER.

I AM ALSO INSTRUCTED TO STATE THAT, HAVING REGARD TO THE

JOINT DECLARATION OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF

GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE

PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG, SIGNED

IN BEIJING ON 19 DECEMBER 1984, THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL RESTORE

HONG KONG TO THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA WITH EFFECT FROM 1

JULY 1997 AND THAT THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE

1

CONFIDENTIAL