CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 380/3
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TELNO 1717
OF 20130OZ SEPTEMBER 91
INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING
TOP COPY Q DIST?
24
In Store
143717
MDHOAN 1107
FOR DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER FROM HKD
COOPERATION WITH CHINA ON CRIMINAL MATTERS
1. MINISTERS HAVE NOW CONSIDERED THE PROPOSALS TO IMPROVE COOPERATION WITH CHINA ON CRIMINAL MATTERS. THE SECRETARY OF STATE HAS ASKED US WHETHER IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THE HOME OFFICE AND/OR THE FCO TO BE CONSULTED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS, GIVEN THAT HMG'S INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS MIGHT BE INVOLVED (THERE COULD IN ADDITION BE POLITICAL CONTROVERSY HERE IF THERE WAS AN EXECUTION ON THE BASIS OF INFORMATION SUPPLIED FROM HONG KONG).
2.
WE MIGHT TREAT THESE MATTERS IN A SIMILAR WAY TO SENSITIVE ASYLUM CASES OR FILM CENSORSHIP CASES, WHERE YOU CURRENTLY SEEK OUR AGREEMENT BEFORE TAKING ACTION. WE WOULD CLEARLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO OFFER A REASONABLY SWIFT TURN AROUND AND WOULD HOPE TO BE ABLE TO LET YOU HAVE A RESPONSE WITHIN A WEEK OF RECEIVING YOUR REQUEST. AFTER THE SYSTEM SETTLED DOWN, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO AGREE THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF ASSISTANCE NEED NOT BE REFERRED
TO US, BUT
INITIALLY WE WOULD EXPECT TO SEE ALL CASES.
3. WE WILL CLEARLY HAVE TO TAKE THIS MATTER UP WITH THE HOME OFFICE, IN VIEW OF THEIR POLICY RESPONSIBILITY IN THE AREA. SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE (INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION) ACT 1990, A CENTRAL UK AUTHORITY HAS BEEN SET UP IN THE HOME OFFICE TO CONSIDER REQUESTS FOR MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE.
BEFORE WE DO SO, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR COMMENTS AS TO WHETHER YOU THINK THE PROPOSAL IS WORKABLE AND ACCEPTABLE
HURD
YYYY
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