TNAG-2965-FCO40-4244-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Consular-representation-of-European-Coun-1993 — Page 28

€

COMMISSION

OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

THE PRESIDENT

Mm. St. Uright

окрер

Brussels,

ย

:

Dear Governor Patten,

Thank you for your letter of 29 April 1993

concerning the status

of the Commission in Hong Kong. The rapid certainly ia our mutual interest.

of the future office establishment of such an office is

when we met in Brussels

believe it

I had the to be important,

opportunity of explaining why we in the interests of both the Community and Hong Kong, that the status of the office should fully reflect in the international the unique position which the Community enjoys

of a European legal order. Particularly now that the establishment the Commission is looking for a Union is imminent,

solution based on established practice, founded the application to the European relations of 18 April Community of the Vienna Convention on diplomatic

which the Commission requested 1961. The privileges and immunities

last Dẹcomber are no more that those from the Hong Kong Government which

in other countries around the

in which its

representatives are accredited.

it enjoys

on

world

annex

I have been informed of the difficulties which our request presented to you, and have been encouraged by the annex to

your letter of 29 which indicated Hong Kong's willingness to find April,

a pragmatic Nevertheless, I am sorzy solution to the problems we currently face. to say that the privileges and immunities you list in that still do not, in our view, represent the minimum which would be necessary to maintain the position of the Community referred to above. These need to provide effective protection for our representatives, bearing in mind that the precedent set now will be extremely important

1997.

in determining the position after

I understand

to

that Hong Kong

propose

of

drafting

B

in order immunities

list

30

law would have to be amended and its staff the privileges and grant to the office of the Consular Relations Ordinance which should be the long term

alternative you The solution. privileges and immunities would offer a quicker transitional solution. However the administrative arrangements would need to cover the points the usual indicated" Sn the attached list, which corresponds to practice of privileges and immunities granted to the Commission by the government of the host country where it is represented.

: