TNAG-2305-FCO40-3337-Convention-on-the-Marking-of-Plastic-Explosives-for-the-Purp-1991 — Page 42

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FM FCO

TO

TELELETTER HONG KONG

TELELETTER FILE REF DC 051/2

OF 11150OZ APRIL 91

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HRCOS1/1

FM: C T WOOD, SECURITY COORDINATION DEPARTMENT, FCO

TO: WILSON FUNG ESQ, CAB, HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

SAINTY

COPIED TO: C SAINTY ESQ, HKD, FCO

3

076030

MDTTAN 1706

p.q.

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CONVENTION ON THE MARKING OF PLASTIC EXPLOSIVES FOR DETECTION

て

1. YOUR TELELETTER OF APRIL REFERS. I AM PLEASED TO KNOW

THAT HONG KONG HAS AGREED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE UK'S

RATIFICATION OF THE CONVENTION IN DUE COURSE.

2. WE ARE NOT YET SURE WHEN WE WILL BE READY TO EFFECT THE UK'S RATIFICATION, PARTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT YET CONCLUDED WHETHER

WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROCEED BY MEANS OF REGULATIONS UNDER

EXISTING LEGISLATION OR WHETHER NEW PRIMARY LEGISLATION WILL BE NECESSARY. FOLLOWING A MEETING I CHAIRED THIS MORNING, IT NOW SEEMS THAT WE MAY WELL HAVE TO INTRODUCE A BILL TO ENABLE US TO IMPLEMENT AT LEAST PART OF THE CONVENTION (NAMELY ARTICLE IV) ALTHOUGH THIS IS SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION. IN EITHER EVENT, I THINK IT WILL TAKE US AT LEAST TWELVE TO EIGHTEEN MONTHS BEFORE

WE ARE READY TO RATIFY.

3. IN THE MEANTIME, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW HOW YOU WOULD INTEND TO GIVE EFFECT TO THE CONVENTION IN HONG KONG. I ASSUME THAT YOU WILL BE INTRODUCING A LOCAL ORDINANCE, BUT IT WOULD BE USEFUL IF YOU COULD CONFIRM THIS.

4. WE AND HKD LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR DRAFT SPEAKING NOTE FOR USE WITH THE CHINESE UNDER THE AGREED CONSULTATION GUIDELINES.

SIGNED: C T WOOD

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