TNAG-2796-FCO40-4036-Relations-between-Hong-Kong-and-international-organisations-1993 — Page 20

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO PRIORITY FCO

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OF 090347Z SEPTEMBER 93

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INFO PRIORITY UKREP JLG HONG KONG, PEKING

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034566

MDLIAN 6063

R+R.

see 27.

MIPT: UK RATIFICATION OF FINAL ACTS OF ITU PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE, GENEVA 1992 - CONSULTATION WITH CHINESE SIDE, JLG

AT JLG V (NOVEMBER 1986) THE TWO SIDES AGREED THAT AFTER 30 JUNE 1997 HONG KONG SHOULD CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION UNION (ITU), WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION CONVENTION SIGNED IN MADRID IN 1932. THE CURRENT VERSION OF THE CONVENTION WAS SIGNED IN NAIROBI IN 1982 (''THE NAIROBI CONVENTION').

2.

IN 1989 A PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE OF THE ITU HELD IN NICE PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ITU CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION (''THE NICE CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION''). IN APRIL AND MAY 1991, THE CHINESE SIDE AGREED THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM'S RATIFICATION OF THE NICE CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION AND THAT THEY DID NOT OBJECT IN PRINCIPLE TO THE CONTINUED APPLICATION OF THE NEW ITU CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION TO HONG KONG AFTER 1997 (COPIES OF THE CHINESE SIDE'S SPEAKING NOTES OF 26.4.91 AND 31.5.91 ARE ATTACHED AT ANNEX A).

3.

HOWEVER, DUE TO A HIGH LEVEL REVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE ITU, THE NICE CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION DID NOT COME INTO FORCE, AND RATIFICATION OF THE AMENDMENTS WAS SUSPENDED.

·

4 A PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE OF THE ITU HELD IN GENEVA IN DECEMBER 1992 ADOPTED A SET OF FINAL ACTS WHICH PROPOSED A REVISED ITU CONSTITUTION AND CONVENTION. THESE GENEVA FINAL ACTS (TEXT AT ANNEX B) HAVE SUPERSEDED THE NICE CONSTITUTION CONVENTION. THEY WILL COME INTO FORCE ON 1 JULY 1994 BETWEEN MEMBERS WHO HAVE, BEFORE THAT DATE, DEPOSITED THEIR INSTRUMENT OF RATIFICATION. MEMBERS WHO DO NOT RATIFY THE GENEVA FINAL ACTS, THE NAIROBI CONVENTION 1982 WILL REMAIN IN FORCE.

5.

FOR

THE UNITED KINGDOM INTENDS TO RATIFY THE GENEVA FINAL ACTS AND TO INCLUDE HONG KONG IN ITS RATIFICATION.

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