21 August 1991
FAXED.
Stephen Bradley Esq
Deputy Political Adviser Hong Kong Government
Dear Stephen,
CONFIDENTIAL
HKB 380/?
|_ DIEU E
Foreign & 'Commonwealth
Office
London SW1A 2AH
Telephone: 071-
COOPERATION WITH CHINA ON CRIMINAL MATTERS: HONG KONG TELNOS 2462 AND 2571
1.
I thought you should see the attached legal advice we have received on these issues. As you will note Ms Barrett concludes, at the end of paragraph two, that what is proposed is unlikely to result in breaches of our international legal obligations. However she goes on to point out a considerable number of problems and issues which we are currently looking at.
2.
I
The points about what you intend to do administratively undermining the basis of any Mutual Legal Assistance agreement that we would hope to conclude later, seem very valid and I would be grateful for your thoughts on this. have also continued to explore with the Home Office how HMG would react to requests for information of this nature. These contacts have confirmed what is set out in our telno 1464: HMG would be unlikely to assist in similar circumstances. So such a move by Hong Kong could play baldy here in the press.
I shall need to submit on this early next week and if you have any further comments I would be grateful to receive them by then.
3.
Yors fincerely,
للتلا
M V Stone
Hong Kong Department
BAGAHD
CONFIDENTIAL
CC
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