TNAG-2822-FCO40-4072-Hong-Kong-boundaries-and-territorial-waters-1993 — Page 11

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CONFIDENTIAL

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CONFIDENTIAL

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FM HONG KONG

RECE

STRY

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

22 DEC 1993

TELNO 1756

STRY

en Take.

LG HONG KONG

3A

6

Mr Garrett?

067475 MDHIAN 3681

TOP COPY Q DIST?

19

OF 19021OZ NOVEMBER 1995 INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKREP

BOUNDARIES: Our telno 456 and Your telnos 304 and 326

Summary

10

We now plan to arrange another round of boundaries talks, hopefully before the end of the year. We have been giving further thought to the question of implementation. Our view remains that

We would welcome your the non-legislative route may be preferable. further views.

Detail

Next round of boundaries talks

•

Our TUR indicated that we planned to arrange another round of boundaries talks in April. In the event, we were not able to do

However, we intend to approach the Guangdong side soon with a view to arranging talks as soon as possible, and preferably by the end of the year. our strategy remains as set out in our TUR: to seek to confirm the provisional deal on the bays and the sea reached at the last round of talks, and to reach an agreement on the land sector under which the boundary in the international Path area would be unchanged.

Implementation

3. We have also been giving further thought to the possible ways in which a boundary agreed with Guangdong might be implemented, in the light of your views in your first TUR. The Governor has chaired a meeting on this. His view is that giving Legal effect to a new boundary (the first option in our TUR, which you indicated that you preferred) could cause a great deal of difficulty here.

We share the view in your second TUR that if we were to pursue the legislative option, it would be highly desirable to bring Cap 1 in line with UK Orders amending Hong Kong's boundaries.

The power to amend the schedule to Cap 1 which describes the boundaries rests with the Governor. But his notice amending the Schedule would - as subsidiary Legislation - be subject to negative resolution procedures in LegCo. This could then become a highly emotional and

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