TNAG-2341-FCO40-3405-Extradition-and-rendition-between-Hong-Kong-and-China-1991 — Page 3

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YRTELNO 1211: HONG KONG/CHINA EXTRADITION

1. THE CLAIM IS SPECULATION ARISING FROM AN OFF-THE-RECORD BACKGROUND BRIEFING GIVEN BY EDWARDS, LAW OFFICER (INTERNATIONAL LAW) TO DANNY GITTINGS (SUNDAY MORNING POST) AND KEVIN LAU CHONG KONG ECONOMIC JOURNAL).

2. AT THE BRIEFING EDWARDS GAVE A GENERAL ACCOUNT OF PROGRESS ON OUR VARIOUS CURRENT EXTRADITION NEGOTIATIONS. WHEN ASKED WHAT EXTRADITION ARRANGEMENTS WOULD BE MADE BETWEEN HONG KONG AND CHINA HE REPLIED THAT THAT WAS A MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION IN DUE COURSE AND THAT NO DECISIONS HAD BEEN TAKEN. HE DID NOT/NOT SAY

THAT EXCO HAD GIVEN ITS APPROVAL TO MAKING SUCH ARRANGEMENTS. IN

REPLY TO A QUESTION, HE SAID THAT EXCO HAD GIVEN ITS APPROVAL TO THE MODEL FUGITIVE OFFENDERS AGREEMENT WHICH WAS THE BASIS FOR OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES.

COMMENT

3. ALTHOUGH THE ARTICLE APPEARED PROMINENTLY IN THE SUNDAY MORNING POST THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE REACTION. TARGET, WHICH IS READ WIDELY IN BUSINESS AND LEGAL CIRCLES, RAN AN ARTICLE LAST WEEK WHICH, FOR ONCE, GOT IT RIGHT AND PUT THE RECORD STRAIGHT. ✔

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