TNAG-1927-FCO40-2744-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Sino-British-Joint-Liaison-Group-sub-gro-1989 — Page 64

dti

the department for Enterprise

9

A R Paul Esq

Hong Kong Department

Foreign and Commonwealth Office LONDON SW1A 2AH

HKC031/7

Direct line 01-829

Our ref

Your ref

Date

6102

1 March 1989

J

Tel to HK.

RAR

Mr wood

quickly jol. '(wrydo)'

втора

PL comide

how we shound reply

6/

Pl bu.

Си

Department of 'S Trade and Industry

Industrial Property and Copyright Department

State House 66-71 High Holborn London WC1R 4TP

Switchboard 01-831 2525

Telex 266546 PATLDN G

Fax 01-405 0292

is mo

provision

Dear Alan

DIPLOMATIC CONFERENCE FOR THE CONCLUSION OF A TREATY ON THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY IN RESPECT OF INTEGRATED CIRCUITS : WASHINGTON, 8-26 MAY 1989

Thank you for your letter of 23 February which arrived here at the same time as the attached (copy) letter from the European Patent Office.

2. You will see that I am asked for the UK position on Hong Kong's draft Patents Bill. Since Hong Kong has not seen fit to send a copy of the draft to my Department, the UK has no position on it. As far as I am concerned, Hong Kong is perfectly at liberty to go ahead and draft its own Bills without reference to us. By doing this they demonstrate of

Without paterencir interests and those of the demonstrastinct.]

but what if there They cannot however at the same time seek to be part of a UK

delegation, especially on an allied subject.

for sep. presentation.

3. In this context, your letter raises some questions in my mind. What role does Hong Kong want in this Conference? In at] your paragraph 2 you refer to their being "involved in

[present at"]

discussions". This suggests a more active part than being a mere silent observer. As to ensuring that Hong Kong's concerns are taken fully into account (your paragraph 5), this is fine for a territory which has the same aims as the UK. It is clear however eg from the attached copy letter that they are now planning to go their own way (as of course they are in a few years anyway). Their objectives may well be different from the UK's.

VT4ABB

'cont'