TNAG-2531-FCO40-3701-Hong-Kong-shipping-matters-1997 — Page 159

HKC

775/1

IMO MARITIME TERRORISM CONVENTION"

см

The Chinese

side have

A

agreed to the British

proposal that the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Maritime Navigation ("the Convention") and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms located on the Continental Shelf ("the Protocol") should continue to apply to Hong Kong after 1997. The Chinese side did not, however, accept the proposal that Hong Kong be identified as a "competent authority" when the UK ratifies the Convention and Protocol.

2.

The British

suggesting

authority".

side

modified its proposal by that Hong Kong be identified as an "appropriate At JLG XIX the Chinese side indicated that it could accept the British side's modified proposal provided that the British side confirmed that requests by Hong Kong to contracting States should be dealt with through British embassies and consulates.

3.

The British side would like to point out that there is an increasing trend for jurisdictions to prefer requests for the surrender of fugitives to be made directly between the relevant authorities. In the area of mutual legal assistance progress towards direct contact is even more pronounced. It is usual for mutual legal assistance agreements to provide for the establishment of specific authorities which are responsible for the processing of requests for assistance. Such authorities are usually the relevant Ministries of Justice or Legal Departments. The object is to provide direct contact between the bodies

responsible for criminal proceedings.

This is why the

model mutual legal assistance agreement, presently under

consideration,

authorities.

proposes the

establishment of such

30