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Phonograms Notification No. 64
Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms

Cessation of Responsibility of the United Kingdom, from July 1, 1997, for International Rights and Obligations Arising from the Application of the Phonograms Convention to Hong Kong

The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents his compliments to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and has the honor to enclose a copy of a letter, dated June 10, 1997, and the pertinent part of the Annex to that letter, transmitted to the Secretary-General of the United Nations by His Excellency Sir John Weston, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the United Nations at New York.

July 3, 1997

From: Sir John Weston, KCMG
United Kingdom Mission to the United Nations, New York

To: HE Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General, S-3800, United Nations

10 June 1997

Dear Secretary-General,

I am instructed by Her Britannic Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to refer to the treaties listed in the annex attached to this Note (hereinafter referred to as the "Treaties"), which apply to Hong Kong at present.

I am also instructed to state that, in accordance with the Joint Declaration of the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the Question of Hong Kong signed on 19 December 1984, the Government of the United Kingdom will restore Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China with effect from 1 July 1997. The Government of the United Kingdom will continue to have international responsibility for Hong Kong until that date. Therefore, from that date the Government of the United Kingdom will cease to be responsible for the international rights and obligations arising from the application of the "Treaties" to Hong Kong.

I should be grateful if the contents of this Note could be placed formally on record and brought to the attention of the other Parties to the "Treaties".

Please accept, Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

(signed)
John Weston
Permanent Representative

ANNEX

LIST OF TREATIES FOR WHICH THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS IS THE DEPOSITARY AND WHICH APPLY TO HONG KONG AT PRESENT

Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms Against Unauthorized Duplication of their Phonograms done at Geneva on October 29, 1971