TNAG-2562-FCO40-3745-Hong-Kong-localisation-of-laws-regarding-biological-weapons-1992 — Page 6

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CONFIDENTIAL

HKC 370/4

20 MAX 1992

026126

MDLIAN 4465

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

TELNO 892

OF 260446Z MARCH 92

ст

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP JLG HONG KONG

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TOP COPY Q DIST ?

YOUR TELNO 371: LOCALISATION OF LAWS: BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS.

1. WE HAD INTENDED TO HAND OVER THE CONSULTATION PAPER TO THE CHINESE SIDE. HOWEVER, ON REFLECTION, OUR LEGAL ADVISERS HAVE ADVISED THAT WE SHOULD BETTER AWAIT DISCUSSION OF THE CONVENTION IN THE IRO SUB-GROUP BEFORE CONSULTING THE CHINESE ON THE LOCALISATION PROPOSAL. IT IS LIKELY THAT THE CHINESE WOULD CONSIDER THE 1972 CONVENTION AS FALLING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF DEFENCE MATTERS FOR WHICH THE CPG WILL BE RESPONSIBLE AFTER 1997. GIVEN THE SENSITIVITY OF THE ISSUE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY PREFER THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF THE CONVENTION TO BE CONSIDERED FIRST BEFORE LOCALISATION OF LAWS IS DISCUSSED. TO AVOID ANOTHER CASE OF HOLDING OVER OF THE LOCALISATION EXERCISE AT THE CHINESE SIDE'S REQUEST (WE AGREED TO HOLD OVER THE LOCALISATION OF LAWS ON ARBITRATION AT JLG XX), WE HAVE DECIDED TO DEFER ACTION ON THE CONSULTATION PAPER FOR THE TIME BEING. THE 1972 CONVENTION IS INCLUDED IN THE CATEGORY OF TREATIES ON WARFARE AND DISARMAMENT WHICH THE IRO SUB-GROUP IS DUE TO DISCUSS AT A MUCH LATER STAGE.

2. MEANWHILE, WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER ANY RESERVATIONS WERE MADE BY THE PRC WHEN THEY ACCEDED TO THE TREATY AND IF SO, SHOULD LIKE THE TEXT OF THEM.

WILSON

WE

YYYY

ΜΑΙΝ

56

.HONG KONG AGREEMENT

.(RESTRICTED)

HKD

PUSD

DISTRIBUTION

56

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PS/LORD CAITHNESS PS/MR LENNOX-BOYD

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