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Salib said that they did not really think that such a
policy would be realistic as they could not see the U.K.
industry being able to maintain its position with the
protection only of a tariff of 15 - 20%. I said that
personally I agreed with this view and that I thought it
was also the view of the Hong Kong Government. But I could
enly explain the position as I understood it.
point we concluded the meeting.
At that
Conclusions
13. This was
a rather discursive discussion but nevertheless
I feel that it has been useful, if only to enable me to probe
the Secretariat a little on their own thinking and to get some
of our ideas across to them. I should add that it is
essential in some cases to take the Secretariat into one's
confidence. The GATT Secretariat, in particular, is usually
very good at respecting conversations with delegations which
take place on a confidential basis and I have found that it
almost always pays to be reasonably frank with them.
1440 If you have any comments on the above or anything more
you would wish me to put to the Secretariat I should be
glad to be informed.
DJCJ/mms
Distribution:
Director, Hong Kong (3 copies)
A.L.; A.B.; A.W.
Mr. Goldsmith)
Mr.
Dunnett
Board of Trade
Mr. Stewart, Ministry of Technology
Mr. Carter, Hong Kong Dept., FCO
H.E. Sir Eugene Melville UKMIS, Geneva.
Mr. Abbott
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