TNAG-2743-FCO40-3958-Visits-by-Commonwealth-officials--ministers-and-public-figur-1993 — Page 143

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CONFIDENTIAL #*

6

Implementation

8.

dealt with like

any

between Hong Kong and

countries.

If they

other

co-operation

non-Commonwealth

involve

formal

agreements, they should be dealt with like

other international rights and obligations, e.g. extradition arrangements.

The exact timing and mechanism for discontinuing

or replacing the existing Commonwealth links listed in

Annexes A to C will be decided by the relevant policy

branches in consultation with the Secretary for

Constitutional Affairs. It is envisaged that the majority

of formal links will be discontinued in 1997 though the

relevant Commonwealth organisations may have to be informed

earlier. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will also be

consulted on a need basis.

CHINA DIMENSION

9.

changes

We

in

are obliged to consult the Chinese side on

mutual legal assistance schemes which involve

international rights and obligations. We are also required

to inform the Chinese side of all proposed adaptations of

Hong Kong

laws including proposals for the removal of

statutory

references to the Commonwealth. Whether such

proposals would need to be the subject of detailed

discussion would depend on the nature of the proposals.

for non-statutory arrangements in paragraphs 6 (a) to (c)

above, we consider that it is not necessary, nor tactically

desirable, to consult the Chinese side on the future of

Hong Kong's Commonwealth links as a subject because

-

As

CONFIDENTIAL

--ས སནབ་ས;

機密

1 x

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