TNAG-2965-FCO40-4244-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Consular-representation-of-European-Coun-1993 — Page 102

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Faxed.

V. Warrington OBE Director of Protocol Government Secretariat Hong Kong Government

16 March, 1993

E

Foreign & Commonwealth

Office

34

London SW1A 2AH

Telephone: 071-

HKO 406/S

RECE

Dear Mr Warrington,

17 MAR 1993

·CFICE

ISTRY

EC DELEGATION OFFICE IN HONG KONG

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an Taxe

As you will be aware, a three cornered exchange between Hong Kong, ourselves and UKREP Brussels has looked at the wish list put forward by the European Commission for the establishment of an EC delegation office in Hong Kong. Correspondence rests with Hong Kong tel no 319 (our tel no 59 and UKREP Brussels telno 267 are also in the series).

(24)

The conclusion we draw from our soundings of yourselves and of our own Legal Advisers is that the demands of the Commission go beyond what the Hong Kong Government can reasonably be expected to meet. We are anxious that the the Commission should understand the real problems which their request for privileges and immunities in line with those they enjoy in Peking causes for you. We wonder whether the line taken by the Commission so far may reflect a genuine lack of knowledge in Brussels about Hong Kong's room for maneouvre and what is on offer for the Commission's office. Equally we wonder whether there may be any room for the Hong Kong Government to meet some of their concerns for instance through informal assurances along the lines proposed by you on the Commission's bag (Hong Kong telno 319 paragraph 7).

We have the list of privileges and immunities which may be conferred on the EC Delegation Office (enclosed with Cherry Ling's letter of 14 January to Peter Ricketts). We do not so far have the note promised by Simon Nuttall listing the Commission's precise requirements for privileges and immunities (UKREP tel no 267 paragraph 4). Could you please provide us with a user friendly list of privileges and immunities enjoyed by Consulates in Hong Kong? This would make it easier for us to see what the gap is between what is on offer and what the Commission seek and ensure that we do not misunderstand Cap 190. It would be helpful if you could put this together for us by the end of the week.

I am coming out to Hong Kong myself on 17 March; if you have time while I am over (I leave on 29 March) I would value the chance to have a word about all this.

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