TNAG-2165-FCO40-3100-Agreements-between-Hong-Kong-and-third-countries-regarding-d-1990 — Page 25

<

RESTRICTED

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY NEW DELHI

TELNO 1197

OF 281730Z NOVEMBER 90

41

RESTRICTED

i Ms Major, HKD

Rut.ps RTA/REA/India 385/wa HKC 385/2

0 5 DEC 1990

YOUR TELNO 1490: BILATERAL CONFISCATION AGREEMENT

44

ROR

145650 MDLOAN 4981

Pre Aliz

1. WE HAVE EXPLORED THE POSSIBILITY OF ONE OR TWO RELEVANT OFFICIALS VISITING DELHI BEFORE THE NEW YEAR. THERE ARE, HOWEVER, RELATIVELY FEW HOME OFFICE OFFICIALS CONCERNED WITH THE TERRORIST AND DRUG ASPECTS OF THE AGREEMENT. THOSE INVOLVED ARE UNLIKELY TO BE ABLE TO VISIT DELHI MORE THAN ONCE. WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO CONSIDER THE AGREEMENT AS A SINGLE ENTITY RATHER THAN SEND ONE OR TWO PEOPLE TO DELHI IN DECEMBER TO DISCUSS SOME ASPECTS AND THEN ONE OR TWO OTHERS IN THE NEW YEAR FOR THE REMAINDER.

2. THE EARLIEST A BRITISH TEAM MIGHT BE ABLE TO VISIT DELHI WOULD BE IN EITHER THE WEEK BEGINNING 7 OR 14 JANUARY. THEY WOULD EXPECT TO NEED 2 OR 3 DAYS OF DISCUSSIONS. GRATEFUL IF YOU WOULD SOUND THE INDIANS OUT ON THESE DATES.

3. THE TEAM WOULD PROBABLY INCLUDE REPRESENTATIVES OF F4 AND C7

DIVISONS IN THE HOME OFFICE PLUS A LEGAL ADVISER AND SOMEONE FROM ERD

(FCO).

THE ANSWER TO PARA 4 OF YOU TUR IS THAT THE AGREEMENT COULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER HONG KONG UP TO 1997, BUT NOT/NOT BEYOND. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAVE AGREED IT WOULD BE MORE

APPROPRIATE FOR THEM TO NEGOTIATE THEIR OWN SEPARATE AGREEMENTS WITH INDIA.

5. THE IHC HAVE CONFIRMED THAT THEY WILL SHORTLY BE PUTTING A

LIST OF QUESTIONS TO US ON THE DRAFT TEXT. THEY HOPE THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A MEETING TO HELP PREPARE THE GROUND FOR SUBSTANTIVE NEGOTIATIONS IN JANUARY.

HURD

YYYY

PAGE RESTRICTED

Minute.

1

for 5/12