TNAG-2109-FCO40-3008-Outer-Space-Act-1986-extension-to-Hong-Kong-1990 — Page 436

Ms Major

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Action Takem

INTELSAT, INMARSAT, AS IAŞAT AND THE OUTER SPACE ACT (1986): STATE OF

PLAY

INTELSAT AND INMARSAT

1.

Papers on these were handed to the Chinese in September. At JLG XIV the Chinese raised question about both papers, in all cases technical points rather than matters of "principle". Hong Kong are

preparing answers to all except one question about the circumstances

of Hong Kong's designation by INMARSAT as a "Routing Organisation".

I have been in contact with the DTI and hope to have an answer next

week.

2. Our contacts on INMARSAT are Janet Rodemark in SEND (270-2223)

and Messers Faull and Leach of the Telecommunications Policy

Division of the DTI. It has been our practice to communicate with DTI and British Telecom on this issue through SEND, although on the

one occasion I had to contact Mike Leach at short notice, I found

him very cooperative.

AS IASAT AND THE OUTER SPACE ACT (1986)

3. AS IASAT is a proposal for a satellite, with the involvement of

Cable & Wireless and the Hong Kong Post Office, to be launched by Chinese rockets. Earlier in the year, we wrote to Hong Kong asking whether they would like the Outer Space Act (1986), which

incorporates the international conventions on space matters, to be

extended to Hong Kong. Hong Kong's reply was that they preferred to introduce their own local legislation to give effect to the

conventions. At that time there was less urgency about this, as

there was some doubt as to whether the project would go ahead.

4.

It now seems likely that the project will indeed proceed.

However, the British National Space Centre have written to SEND

asking about Hong Kong's legislation on the subject, and warning of

possible UK liability in the event of space debris falling to earth.

I have drafted a telegram to Hong Kong asking for an up-date on

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