TNAG-2491-FCO40-3623-Bilateral-agreements-between-Hong-Kong-and-other-countries-r-1992 — Page 2

21 April 1992

DM Edwards Esq

HKC

012/2

Law Officer (International Law) The Attorney General's Chambers International Law Division

HONG KONG

ст

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

London SWIA 2AH

Telephone: 071-270-3287

fie

Dean David,

HONG KONG BILATERAL AGREEMENTS

1.

3

나

Thank you for your letter of 21 March on Hong Kong

bilateral agreements remaining in force after 1997 which was in reply to mine of 12 March. I apologize for the delay in replying but, among other things, I wanted to consult Shelagh Brooks.

I entirely

2. I fear there has been a misunderstanding. agree with you that treaties entered into by the Hong Kong Government under entrustment from the UK should be registered with the United Nations. But, the concern which prompted my letter of 12 March was to raise the question with you of whether we should consult the Chinese side about the Hong Kong agreements with Australia, Canada and the United States before they were registered with the UN. This is because these agreements capable of running on after 1997 and we are obliged to consult the Chinese about agreeements which have continued application after 1997.

3. We are not in favour of discussing the issue of registration with the Chinese, although we note that you feel it would be necessary to mention it to them. We think your proposal would meet the case. We take it that these bilaterals will be registered by the UK. The UK has

registered Hong Kong bilateral air service agreements with the United Nations.

Jera Even

مصنف

Dr S D Harkin

Hong Kong Department

cc: Mr Bart Ireland, CAB

Ms Joanne Foakes, APCC (IL)

Charles Garrett Esq, UKREP JLG

Ms Shelagh Brooks, Legal Counsellor, FCO

ALMACB

SLM

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