TNAG-2896-FCO40-4170-Registration-of-Hong-Kong-agreements-with-the-United-Nations-1993 — Page 7

CONFIDENTIAL

(

162037

MDLOAN 3424

нис 37411

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG

TELNO 910

15 00. 1993

374/1.

OF 181528Z OCTOBER 93

L

YOUR TELNOS 1575 AND 1576: EXTENSION OF 1988 UN DRUGS CONVENTION TO HONG KONG

WE WELCOME EXCO'S DECISION. WE WONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE BETTER TO PRE-EMPT THE INEVITABLE CHINESE QUESTIONS BY INCLUDING IN PARA 3 OF SECOND TUR DETAILS OF THE RELEVANT EXISTING HONG KONG LEGISLATION AND WHAT NEW LEGISLATION, IF ANY, IS REQUIRED. THIS COULD INCLUDE REFERENCES TO CONFISCATION LAWS, EXTRADITION PROVISIONS, MUTUAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE (MLA) PROVISIONS AND CRIMINAL LAWS WHICH ESTABLISH AS OFFENCES THE VARIOUS ACTS LISTED IN

ARTICLE 3.

2. FOLLOWING THE RECENT YIN HE INCIDENT, THE CHINESE MAY WELL BE SENSITIVE ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF ARTICLE 17. GIVEN THAT HONG KONG IS NOT A FLAG STATE, WE ASSUME THAT YOU INTEND TO COMMUNICATE WITH FLAG STATES THROUGH UK DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS BEFORE 1997, AND THROUGH CHINA AFTERWARDS. IF SO, WOULD THERE BE ANY ADVANTAGE IN MAKING EXPLICIT REFERENCE TO THIS IN THE SPEAKING NOTE?

ONE FINAL SUGGESTION. PARA 3 LINE 7 OF SECOND TUR MIGHT MORE ACCURATELY READ QUOTE JURISDICTIONS SHOULD ENSURE UNQUOTE.

3 =

THE PRC HAS THE DISTINCTION OF BEING THE SECOND COUNTRY TO RATIFY THE 1988 CONVENTION. THERE ARE NOW 90 PARTIES TO IT.

4.

HURD

YYYY

1

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