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IMMEDIATE U K MISSION GENEVA TO GOVERNOR HONG KONG.
TELEGRAM NUMBER 14
11 APRIL 1969.
! RECEIVED IN
ARCHIVES No.31
CONFIDENTIAL
FRENCH RESIDUAL IMPORT RESTRICTIONS.
FROM JONES.
14 APR 1969
|HICK 6/312/1
PARAGRAPHS 19-21 OF DRAFT SAVING DESPATCH ON FRENCH TRADE TALKS IS, IN EFFECT, THE ONLY BRIEF I HAVE RECEIVED ON HOW TO HANDLE THE FRENCH QUESTION IN THE G A T T RESIDUAL RESTRICTIONS GROUP BEGINNING 14 APRIL.
2. UNLESS I HEAR TO THE CONTRARY BY 1000 B S T 14 APRIL 1 WILL APPROACH COLMANT BEFORE THE MEETING AND MAKE THE POINT IN PARA 20. THEREAFTER WHILE MAKING HONG KONG'S POSITION CLEAR I PROPOSE TO HANDLE MATTER IN A LOW KEY IN THIS MEETING BECAUSE
(A) QUESTION WILL COME UP AGAIN IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS COMMITTEE MEETING BEGINNING 28 APRIL AND THIS WILL BE A BETTER FORUM AND (B) THE FACT THAT WE CAN HAVE THIS SECOND BITE AT THE CHERRY WILL GIVE THE FRENCH MORE TIME TO AGREE TO TABLE A SUPPLEMENTARY LIST,
DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE AT THIS STAGE-
ERE FROM-PA
SAYR
IN OPEN
3. I DO NOT THINK IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE AT THIS STAGE TO SAY IN OPEN FORUM THAT WE WOULD WISH TO CONSULT WITH FRANCE UNDER ARTICLE XX11. THIS POSSIBILITY NEEDS MORE CAREFUL CONSIDERATION AND, IF DECIDED ON, CAN BE REQUESTED AT ANY TIME. FOR INSTANCE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE WORTH WAITING TO SEE WHAT, IF ANYTHING, COMES OUT OF THE COUNCIL'S CONSIDERATION OF RESIDUAL RESTRI- CTIONS AND TO FIND OUT WHAT LINE THE AMERICANS WILL BE TAKING IN THE C T 1 P. IT COULD ALSO BE ARGUED BY THE FRENCH THAT THE INFORMAL TALKS IN HONG KONG WERE THE EQUIVALENT OF ARTICLE XX11 CONSULTATIONS.
SIR E MELVILLE
FCO PASS IMMEDIATE GOVERNOR HONG KONG.
GROUPS 230
SENT AT 1815/11 Z JS
RECD AT 1816/11 Z JB