TNAG-2796-FCO40-4036-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1993 — Page 18

CONFIDENTIAL

037 56 MDLIAN 53

6. THE NEW AGREEMENTS REACHED IN GENEVA ARE SUMMARISED AS FOLLOWS

(A) THE ITU WILL CONSIST OF THREE SECTORS: STANDARDISATION, RADIOCOMMUNICATION AND DEVELOPMENT, EACH WITH ITS OWN SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, AND EACH WITH ITS OWN SECRETARIAT IN GENEVA HEADED BY AN ELECTED DIRECTOR:

(B) A REVIEW MECHANISM WILL HELP TRANSFER WORK RELATED TO STANDARDS FROM THE RADIOCOMMUNICATION SECTOR TO THE STANDARDISATION SECTOR: FURTHER CHANGES BEYOND THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED AT THE 1994

PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE:

(C) NINE PART-TIME MEMBERS WILL REPLACE THE FIVE CURRENT FULL TIME MEMBERS OF THE RADIO REGULATION BOARD IN ORDER TO SAVE ON OVERHEADS AND BROADEN THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE: AND

(D) THE NEW ITU STRUCTURE WILL TAKE EFFECT FROM THE BEGINNING OF 1993, AND THE 1993 WORLD TELECOMMUNICATIONS STANDARDISATION CONFERENCE AND RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS ASSEMBLY AS WELL AS THE 1994 DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE WILL ADOPT THE NEW ARRANGEMENTS.

THE GENEVA FINAL ACTS REPRESENT STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE WAY THE ITU CONDUCTS ITS AFFAIRS, BUT AFFECT NEITHER THE WAY IN WHICH HONG KONG PARTICIPATES IN ITU ACTIVITIES, NOR THE AGREEMENT REACHED AT JLG V CONCERNING HONG KONG'S CONTINUED POSITION IN THE ITU AFTER

30 JUNE 1997. THE BRITISH SIDE CONSIDERS THAT THE ITU CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION AS AMENDED BY THE GENEVA FINAL ACTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY TO THE HKSAR. ALTHOUGH THE GENEVA FINAL ACTS ARE NEW AGREEMENTS, THEY WILL NOT, IN PRACTICE, INVOLVE SUBSTANTIAL OR SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO EXISTING IROS AFFECTING HONG KONG. THE GENEVA FINAL ACTS WILL REPLACE THE NAIROBI CONVENTION AS CURRENTLY APPLIED TO HONG KONG. THE BRITISH SIDE WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF THE CHINESE SIDE WOULD CONSIDER THIS MATTER IN ACCORDANCE WITH

THE AGREED GUIDELINES.

PATTEN

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