TNAG-2988-FCO40-3398-Future-of-Hong-Kong-mutual-legal-assistance-1991 — Page 21

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Governors of all

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

London SW1A 2AH

for Walker Amusi

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me in

draft.

.

JROPA LUN Convention)

28 August 1990

H 30

Dear Governor,

UN CONVENTION AGAINST ILLICIT TRAFFIC IN NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES 1988: EXTENSION TO DEPENDENT TERRITORIES

1. You may be aware from John White's letter of 23 August 1989 (to your Attorney-General) that the Home Office were then planning to introduce the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Bill to Parliament, which would, together with the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA) 1971 and the Drug Trafficking Offences Act (DTOA) 1986, enable the UK to ratify the 1988 UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. The UK signed the Convention on 20 December 1988.

2. The Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Bill has now been passed by Parliament and enacted as the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Act 1990. Section 32 (4) of the Act states that the provisions of the Act may be extended to any Dependent Territory by Order-in-Council.

3. It is important that the UN Convention be extended to all our Dependent Territories. The problems associated with drugs and drug trafficking represent a serious actual or potential threat to each Territory. We wish to ensure that no Territory comes to constitute a weak link in the chain of efforts to combat the problem. It is therefore important that all the Territories adhere and are seen to be adhering to the Articles in the UN Convention.

4. The UK hopes to ratify the Convention by the end of 1990. would like our ratification to cover the Dependent Territories at We the same time, or as soon as possible thereafter once the necessary legislative measures have been taken by each Territory. We would expect those of you who have already introduced or are introducing your own legislation corresponding to the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the DTOA will now want to add local legislation along the lines of the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Act 1990. Local legislation is our preference for all territories, but there may be some Territories for whom it