TNAG-1655-FCO40-2303-Hong-Kong-and-the-Customs-Co-operation-Council-(CCC)-1987 — Page 94

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GRS 375

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMED-HATE FCO

TELNO 2410

OF 220316Z JUNE 87

Confidential

INFO IMMEDIATE PEKUNG, BRUSSELS, UKREP BRUSSELS, OTTAWA

COPY DIST ?

BRUSSELS PLEASE PASS HKGO FOR WEBB-JOHNSON

MIPT : CCC : PRESS RELEASE

BEGINS

HONG KONG AND THE CUSTOMS COOPERATHON COUNCIL (CCC) : PRESS RELEASE

AT NTS MEETING ON

HELD IN OTTAWA, THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL APPROVED THE ADMISSION OF HONG KONG AS THE 99TH MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL. UNDER ARTICLE IN(A) (H) OF THE CONVENTION ESTABLISHING THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL.

2. THIS FOLLOWS A DECLARATION MADE BY THE UNITED KINGDOM TO THE SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE CCC THAT HONG KONG IS A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY AND MIS AUTONOMOUS IN THE CONDUCT OF HTS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS, AND THAT THE UK, AS THE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE CONVENTION WHICH HAS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FORMAL CONDUCT OF HONG KONG'S DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS, PROPOSES THAT AN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE (A)(**) OF THE CONVENTION AND WITH THE WISHES OF HONG KONG, HONG KONG BE ADMITTED TO THE COUNCIL AS A SEPARATE MEMBER.

3. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PRC ALSO MADE A PARALLEL DECLARATION ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION AFTER 1 JULY 1997. THIS MAKES CLEAR THAT AFTER THAT DATE, THE HONG KONG SAR WALL MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A CUSTOMS TERRITORY TO HAVE SEPARATE MEMBERSHIP OF THE COUNCIL IN ACCORDANCE WITH ARTICLE (A)(BM) OF THE CONVENTMON ESTABLISHING THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL, AND HE HONG KONG IS ADMITTED AS A SEPARATE MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, THE HONG KONG SAR MAY, USING THE NAME

HONG KONG, CHINA'', CONTINUE SUCH MEMBERSHIP WITH EFFECT FROM

1 JULY 1997.

!

4. THIS IS ANOTHER USEFUL STEP IN ENSURING HONG KONG'S AND THE

FUTURE SAR'S CONTINUING STABILITY AND PROSPERITY,' SAID MR. HAMISH MACLEOD, SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY. ''SEPARATE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CUSTOMS COOPERATION COUNCIL IS CONSISTENT WITH

HONG KONG'S STATUS AND MTS NEEDS AS A FREE PORT, A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY AND A MAJOR TRADING ECONOMY HAVING AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS'', HE ADDED.

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