CONFIDENTIAL
could say that, if there were to be any possibility of the Six entertaining a proposal for preferential
access to the U.K. on a restricted basis, it would
certainly have to be limited as follows:
(i)
It would have to apply to a
specified range of commodities,
which Hong Kong does not now export
in significant quantities.
(ii)
The period for "market research"
would have to be limited.
(iii)
The measure of reduction of the
common external tariff could not
be too great.
(iv) Duty quotas or other limitations on
quantity could have to be provided
for.
(v)
The origin control rules might need
to be agreed with the Six or the
Commission.
Even if the proposal were limited in these ways we would expect the Six to see serious difficulties about accept- ing it. They would be likely to argue that it was
unnecessary,
basing
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/themselves