TNAG-2857-FCO40-4110-Satellite-Licensing-and-Asia-Satellite-Telecommunications-Co-1993 — Page 69

imkalisilam.

CONFIDENTIAL

Reference

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4

satellites

Ms Barrett

£60

192/1

1

HONG KONG: PROPOSAL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AUTONOMOUS SATELLITE LICENSING REGIME

1.

3

I refer to your noté (on my minute of 14 January) asking about our international obligations in respect of satellite operations licensed in Hong Kong.

CODE 18-77

2.

The UK's international obligations derive from the Outer Space Agreement 1966 and the Liability Convention. The relevant domestic legislation is the Outer Space Act 1986 which was extended to Hong Kong in 1990. You might like to see the following papers on this subject:

3.

i) a series of minutes by you, Mr Chamberlain and Ms Brooks from autumn 1991 on Hong Kong's proposals for the licensing of Asiasat 2 and the question of international obligations;

ii) the JLG discussion paper on the Outer Space Agreement;

iii) further background correspondence,

The Outer Space Agreement 1966 has now been agreed in the JLG (Ms Brooks' minute of 23 October 1991). The discussion paper was handed over in March 1992 and the Chinese approved the continuation of the international rights and obligations deriving from the Agreement at JLG XXIV in September 1992. There was no discussion of the Agreement (to which the PRC is a party).

4. The next occasion on which satellite licensing arrangements will be discussed with the Chinese will be when the Outer Space Act 1986 (Hong Kong) Order 1990 is localised. There is no immediate prospect of this. Presumably Hong Kong will want to have any new licensing regime firmly established before they begin to negotiate post-1997 arrangements.

5.

Let me know if you need any further papers.

Trathon Madall

J N Marshall

Hong Kong Department WH305 270-3287

25 January 1993

Mr Marshall

B318 Formal

from HKG

paper still anaited.com

1. This item is still in the bottom of my in-tray; but I recall discussing this with you many

months

and

ago, me that this Date is no

Panger required-or in abeyance you telling time being

CONFIDENTIAL 2, Crateful if

ance for the

you

would re-file the

paper

now need

Will Bantt

12/8

in HKD, or, if

o, if you

do

the advice, let me know what the currant position is-