TNAG-2133-FCO40-3048-Hong-Kong-and-the-ivory-trade-1990 — Page 99

B

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

Mrs B W Vittery

International Branch

Nature Conservancy Council

Northminster House

Peterborough

PE1 1UA

Telephone 01-

{

MRE 26/393/1

RECEIV

26 JUL 1990

(4

PA

HI

Your reference

Our reference

CAMAAS

Date

13 July 1990

Taken

Dear Mrs Vittery

HONG KONG

Thank you for your letter of 21 May to Julian Evans. I am sorry it has taken so long to reply.

1.

2. You ask for some clarification as to whether China is likely to accept the commitments arising from international conventions which are currently applied to Hong Kong (as a Dependent Territory of the UK). You also ask about the continuance of existing legislation.

3.

Both of these issues are dealt with in some detail in the 1984 Sino British Joint Declaration, an international binding treaty which governs the future of Hong Kong, a copy of which I enclose. There is a provision in the Joint Declaration for those international agreements currently implemented in Hong Kong to remain implemented after 1997.even if the PRC is not a party. Likewise the Joint Declaration provides for Hong Kong to continue to partícipate in an appropriate capacity in those international organisations in which it already participates. There is also provision in the Joint Declaration for existing Hong Kong legislation to continue in force after 1997.

Ster

4. I believe that this should cover your concerns. There is no reason why those protected areas in Hong Kong currently safeguarded under international conventions or Hong Kong legislation should not continue to be safeguarded after 1997.

Yours sincerely

Christopher Sainty.

C Sainty

Hong Kong Department

CC:

Mr Evans, ESED

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