TNAG-2965-FCO40-4244-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Consular-representation-of-European-Coun-1993 — Page 31

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057107 MDHIAN 8877

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FM UKREP BRUSSELS

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELNO 1732

OF 14143OZ JULY 93

INFO ROUTINE PEKING

COPIED TO THONG

Kowy

(Cheched with My Fung in Trade Branch,

ل اسبانيا

seen it).

EC/HONG KONG: COMMISSION OFFICE

SUMMARY

1.

INCL

HKD 406/5

15 JUL 1993

VAN DEN BROEK WANTS TO COMMISSION HOPE FOR TALKS

COMMISSION SEE DELORS' RECENT LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AS OPENING THE WAY TO QUICK, PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS. INAUGURATE THE OFFICE IN MID-OCTOBER. WITH HONG KONG OFFICIALS THIS MONTH.

DETAIL

2. WE CALLED ON 14 JULY ON WITTEBROOD (VAN DEN BROEK CABINET) AND BRUSER (DIRECTORATE FOR OVERSEAS DELEGATIONS) TO FOLLOW UP PRESIDENT DELORS' LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR, WHICH SIR L BRITTAN HANDED OVER IN HONG KONG ON 4 JULY. WE REPEATED THE LONG-STANDING UK INTEREST IN SEEING A COMMISSION OFFICE OPENED IN HONG KONG, AND HOPED THAT THE OUTSTANDING PROBLEMS ON PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES COULD BE RAPIDLY RESOLVED BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES. (WE STRESSED THAT WE WERE NOT SEEKING TO DETRACT FROM THE HONG KONG AUTHORITIES' ROLE AS THE COMMISSION'S INTERLOCUTOR). WE ASKED FOR COMMISSION VIEWS ON THE WAY FORWARD.

3. WITTEBROOD SAID THAT THE COMMISSION SHARED OUR AIM.

OFFICE

SPACE HAD BEEN RENTED IN HONG KONG SINCE 1 JULY, THE DEPUTY HEAD OF THE OFFICE WAS ALREADY APPOINTED AND THE PROCESS OF SELECTING THE HEAD WAS UNDER WAY. VAN DEN BROEK HOPED TO OPEN THE OFFICE FORMALLY DURING HIS PLANNED VISIT TO HONG KONG ON 13-15 OCTOBER FOR THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM.

4. ON THE ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE, WITTEBROOD SAID THAT THE EXISTING HONG KONG LEGISLATION (CAP 190) WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE LEGAL BASE FOR THE OFFICE (BECAUSE IT DID NOT REFLECT THE COMMISSION'S SUPRANATIONAL POWERS) AND THAT THE LIST OF DESIRED PRIVILEGES AND BUT HE DID IMMUNITIES ANNEXED TO DELORS' LETTER WAS THE MINIMUM. NOT LABOUR THIS POSITION OF PRINCIPLE WHEN WE POINTED TO THE DIFFICULTIES (NOR DID HE REFER TO THE POST-1997 STATUS OF THE OFFICE). HE READILY AGREED THAT THE TWO SIDES SHOULD AIM FOR

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