TNAG-2112-FCO40-3011-International-Rights-and-Obligations-Sub-Group-of-the-Sino-B-1990 — Page 221

HM CUSTOMS AND EXCISE

Customs Directorate Division F Branch 1

Dorset House Stamford Street London SE1 9PS

Direct Dial

Telephone

GTN

01-865 4786

01-620 1313 Ext 4786

3913

Fax 01-865 4790

Ms N Hancock

Hong Kong Department

Foreign and Commonwealth office

LONDON

SW1A 2AH

Pa wil

1613

Telex 917905

Your reference

CAEAKH

Our reference

Date

23 February 1990

Dear Ms Hancock

(A)

CHKCO31/12

STRY

30 APR 1990

3

INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION RELATING TO THE SIMPLIFICATION OF

CUSTOMS FORMALITIES, 1923

(B) CONVENTION CONCERNING CUSTOMS FORMALITIES FOR TOURING AND

ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL RELATING TO THE IMPORTATION OF TOURIST PUBLICITY DOCUMENTS AND MATERIAL, 1954

Thank you for your letter of 15 February seeking our views on the draft papers relating to Hong Kong's continued application of the above Conventions after 1997.

As I mentioned to you in our recent telephone conversation, UK Customs has no involvement in Hong Kong's application of these Treaties. The Conventions date back some considerable time and certain provisions in both have been superceded or updated by later treaties or international instruments. However the principles of both Conventions remain valid and I can well imagine that Hong Kong would wish to remain a party to them. We have no comments on the proposed drafting papers attached to your letter.

You asked also for information on any reservations or declarations UK may have entered on Hong Kong's behalf in respect of the Conventions. Although we have no details of any notifications relating to the 1954 Convention, I have discovered from our papers on the 1923 Convention that UK would have been responsible for communicating the list of organisations in Hong Kong designated as competent to issue certificates of origin, under the terms of Article 11(2) of the Convention. I am afraid we have no details of any notifications we may have made but perhaps your Treaty Department can help. I assume they can also provide information on China's position vis à vis the Conventions.

I apologise for having missed your deadline for reply.

Yours sincerely

Alead I

J A HEALD (MRS) Customs Division F Branch 1