TNAG-1709-FCO40-2384-Hong-Kong-narcotics-offences-and-drug-trafficking-1988 — Page 119

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59

HurD 385/s.

RECEIVE:

Our reference:

Your reference:

CE Leeks Esq

14 JUL 1987

Hong Kong Department

von Len

Mell

2112

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

LONDON SW1

HOME OFFICE

Queen Anne's Gate LONDON SW1H 9AT

Direct line: 01-213 4022

Switchboard: 01-213 3000

Ct. Cymied to the liefool I p..

Definitely a good thing well didn't take action in Peking -it would have been grossly premature

2. Minth 3 W Wight

DA

Drys

6 July 1987

4/

Dear Leeks,

I RECTIVID

DESK OFFIC

W H:

UN CONVENTION ON ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING

Thank you for your letter of 26 June about the status of Hong Kong' in relation to the proposed draft convention.

The expert working group in Vienna is making such slow progress that there is no prospect of reaching the relevant territorial application clauses. In the circumstances I judged it premature to make an informal approach to the Chinese on the point contained in FCO telegram 1725 of 25 June to Hong Kong. I noted however that the territorial application clauses contained in the paper considered by the expert group do not include an article similar to Article 28 of the Convention on Psychotropic Substances 1971, although many of the other final clauses are similar to those in the 1971 convention. therefore approached the UN secretariat to see whether this omission was based on a conscious decision that such a provision was unnecessary. I attach a copy of the short letter which, at their suggestion, I wrote inviting the Secretary of the expert group to look into this point. It would obviously be better for any article based on Article 28 of the Psychotropic Convention to be included in a redrafted text of the draft convention at the initiative of the secretariat, than that it should have to be put forward by the UK. Once we have an explanation from the secretariat, we can consider how best to pursue the matter further (including the possibility of an informal approach to the Chinese). At this stage it is unclear whether there will be a further meeting of the expert group later in the year; if there is not, it will obviously be some time yet before this issue needs to be resolved.

Your Smanely, 1.a. Nagler

NA NAGLER

сс

Mr G Mulloy, Commissioner for Narcotics, Hong Kong

Mr C Pigott, British Embassy, Peking Miss C Robson, NCAU, FCO

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