CONFIDENTIAL
To: Director of Commerce and Industry, Hong Kong.
From: Counsellor (Hong Kong Affairs), Geneva.
Memorandum No. 16/70
File No. GVA/1/2
Date: 3 February 1970
EEC/Hong Kong Cotton Textile Talks, Brussels, 26 January 1970
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Following the conclusion of the GATT Cotton Textiles
Committee on 15 17 December, 1969, Hong Kong sought to have
consultations with representatives of the EEC Commission in
accordance with the document (drafted by the EEC) accepted by
the Committee. The operative paragraphs were as follows:
"In the course of bilateral consultations ●r negotiations
which should be held in the near future, importing
countries should, in the light of the concepts, principles
and objectives of the Long-Term Arrangement, endeavour to
offer increased expert •pportunities and more flexible
conditions for the operation of bilateral arrangements.
Further, they should endeavour, in the framework of these
consultations, to give specific indications concerning the
treatment which they would grant to exporting countries
including new exporting countries, during any period of
extension.
These consultations or negotiations would imply no commit-
ment as to the future of the Long-Term Arrangement.
However, they should be based on the hypothesis of an
extension of the Long-Term Agreement in its present form
for a period of three years."
Preliminary Arrangements
2. I had approached Ernst prior to the talks (Geneva Tel.
No.3 of 16 January refers) and had been forewarned that there
was a possibility that he would not have a mandate from the
representatives of the Member States to conduct substantive
consultations. He felt, and we agreed, that there would
/nevertheless
CONFIDENTIAL