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Kingdom accepted the LTA on behalf of Hong Kong,
and, with the approval of Her Majesty's Government,
the Government of Hong Kong have negotiated
bilateral agreements for restraint of trade in
cotton goods with all the major importing countries.
Moreover, the countries party to the LTA are
members of the Cotton Textiles Committee of the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and
Hong Kong's representatives attend meetings of
this Committee as me mbers of the United Kingdom
Delegation. They have an opportunity to present
Hong Kong's views independently but in practice
direct conflict in the expression of views is
avoided. These arrangements reflect the fact
that Hong Kong, being a dependent territory, is
nota separate member of the GATT, and is represented
in the GATT by the United Kingdom Delegation.
5. It follows from the constitutional position
that, in terms of international law, Her Majesty's Government cannot abrogate final responsibility
for the Hong Kong Government's external relations.
However, as stated in my predecessor's saving despatch No. 369 of 31 July, 1969, having regard to the considerable number of trading arrangements and agreements into which Hong Kong enters in
terms of the LTA I do not consider it necessary
or practicable for the terms of every such
arrangement or agreement to be scrutinised in
London before it is concluded and can be registered
if necessary under Article 102 of the United
Nations Charter. Frovided, therefore, that you are satisfied that the conclusion of any LTA
arrangement does not jeopardise the interests of
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