303
Written Answers
27 JUL
1988
HKD 3541
and through our high commission in Kuala Lumpur. It is not our practice to give details of confidential exchanges with foreign Governments.
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all representations since January 1981 of Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Malaysia concerning the Malaysian Government's “Buy British Last" policy; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: We took all suitable opportunities to impress on the Malaysians our concern about the "Buy British Last" policy. We were delighted when Dr. Mahathir ended the policy in April 1983, and have been gratified by the subsequent development of bilateral trade and all-round improvement in our relations.
Diplomatic Relations
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance is issued to members of the diplomatic corps with regard to the application of article 39 of the 1961 Vienna convention on diplomatic relations; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: None. The provisions of article 39 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations will be known to sending states.
China (Extradition)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what stage his consultations have reached with the Government of the People's Republic of China about an extradition treaty; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: Officials have discussed the possibility of an agreement on judicial assistance to cover civil and commercial matters, with Chinese officials. We have not for the time being considered an agreement on extradition, or discussed this with the Chinese Government.
China (Death Penalty)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has sought any assurances from the Government of the People's Republic of China that the death penalty will not be carried out after 1 July 1997 on any fugitive returned to Hong Kong prior to 30 June 1997; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Chalker: The Sino-British joint declaration and the draft Basic Law both make clear that the legal and judicial systems in the future Hong Kong special administrative region will be separate from those of the People's Republic of China; and that the laws currently in force in Hong Kong will remain basically unchanged, save for any that contravene the Basic Law. Under Hong Kong's laws the commutation of a death sentence is irrevocable. This applies to all death sentences passed in Hong Kong prior to 1997, but commuted by the Governor of Hong Kong. After 1997, these matters will fall within the high degree of autonomy to be enjoyed by the Hong Kong special administrative region government under the joint declaration and the Basic Law.
154
Written Answers
Endangered Species (Hong Kong)
12
304
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional measures aimed at educating the public are currently being considered by the Hong Kong authorities in respect of responsibilities under the convention on international trade in endangered species.
Mrs. Chalker: The Hong Kong Government, in conjunction with the World Wild Life Fund for Nature (Hong Kong), are intensifying their publicity and educational efforts by displaying more posters at entry points for example, train stations and the airport-and other public places; by distributing more leaflets to schools, travel agents and the general public; by issuing more press releases and making more radio and television announcements; by organising more exhibitions and seminars; and by producing an audio-slide programme for presentation in all country park visitors' centres.
Ivory Products (Hong Kong)
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to establish ban by the Hong Kong authorities on the import of all ivory products; and if he will make a
statement.
Mrs. Chalker: Ivory trade is permissible under CITES and the CITES secretariat has set up an ivory unit to co- ordinate the trade. It is not necessary to ban the import of ivory into Hong Kong. The Hong Kong authorities will only permit imports of ivory products from legal and CITES approved sources.
Animals and Animal Products (Hong Kong)
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for
how Commonwealth Affairs Foreign and
many prosecutions have been initiated by the Hong Kong authorities arising from the seizure of illegally imported animals and animal products in each year since 1979.
Mrs. Chalker: The Hong Kong authorities do not maintain separate statistics relating to prosecutions for illegal imports of animals and animal products. The following statistics include prosecutions in respect of illegal imports, illegal exports and illegal possession of endangered species since 1979. Relevant statistics for 1988 are not yet available.
Number
1979
109
1980
170
1981
154
1982
248
1983
58
1984
103
1985
294
1986
192
1987
366
Ivory Sales (Hong Kong)
Mr. Tony Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has about the ultimate destination and use of (a) the 638
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.