TNAG-2302-FCO40-3331-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IRO)-Sub-Gro-1991 — Page 35

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 2398

OF 300526Z JULY 91

CONFIDENTIAL

MKCC031/22

INFO ROUTINE PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KON

TOP COPY Q DIST?

2

134676

MOLIAN 9371

P.9.

>s༠\w་

MIPT: IRO SUB-GROUP: MULTILATERAL TREATIES: POSTAL.

DRAFT PAPER REFERRED TO IN PARA. 1 OF TUR

BEGINS

६

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LIST OF MULTILATERAL TREATIES APPLYING TO HONG KONG HANDED OVER THE THE CHINESE SIDE ON 7 FEBRUARY 1990, THERE ARE FIVE POSTAL TREATIES CURRENTLY APPLYING TO HONG KONG.

THEY ARE:-

(A) CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION:

(B) GENERAL REGULATIONS OF THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION:

(C) UNIVERSAL POSTAL CONVENTION:

(D) POSTAL FRCELS AGREEMENT: AND

(E) GIRO AGREEMENT.

2. AT THE IRO SUB-GROUP MEETING HELD ON 21 MAY 1986, THE TWO SIDES DISCUSSED THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION (UPU) AFTER 1997. THE CHINESE SIDE INFORMED THE BRITISH SIDE THAT THE PRC HAD SIGNED THE FIRST FOUR POSTAL TREATIES ABOVE AND SPECIFICALLY AGREED, AMONGST OTHER THINGS, THAT THESE FOUR TREATIES SHOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY TO THE HONG KONG SAR AFTER 31 JUNE 1997. THE INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS AFFECTING HONG KONG ARISING FROM THESE TREATIES SHOULD, THEREFORE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION XI OF ANNEX I TO THE JOINT DECLARATION, CONTINUE TO APPLY TO THE HKSAR AFTER 30 JUNE 1997. THE TWO SIDES COULD FURTHER CONSIDER WHETHER ANY ACTION IS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE.

3. AS REGARDS THE GIRO AGREEMENT, HONG KONG DOES NOT HAVE A GIRO SYSTEM, WHICH IS A BAKING SERVICE PROVIDED BY POST OFFICES AND WE CAN THEREFORE ALLO. THE GIRO AGREEMENT TO LAPSE ON 1 JULY

1997.

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