CYPHER/CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
ROUTINE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
TELEGRAM NUMBER 384
CONFIDENTIAL.
NEUTRAL.
RECEIVED IN
REGESTRY NE1
83.
TO UK MISSION GENEVA
2 SEPTEMBER 1970
(HKK 6/18)
{HKK 6/18
ADDRESSED TO UK MISSION GENEVA TELEGRAM NUMBER 384 OF 2 SEPTEMBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON.
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YOUR TEL 616: HONG KONG'S POSITION ON TEXTILES.
ACCORDING TO OUR INFORMATION THE ONLY PRECEDENT FOR A COUNTRY BEING DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACTING PARTY UNDER ARTICLE XXVI:5(C) AND REMAINING DEPENDENT IS THAT OF THE FEDERATION OF RHODESIA AND NYASALAND. THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF FOLLOWING THIS LINE FOR HONG KONG WOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE.
2. THE SUGGESTION IN YOUR PARA, 2 THAT WE MIGHT SEEK SEPARATE REPRESENTATION FOR HONG KONG IN THE COTTON TEXTILES COMMITTEE AND PROPOSED NEW WORKING PARTY ON TEXTILES, IS OPEN TO THE SAME OBJECTION ALTHOUGH PERHAPS TO A LESSER DEGREE, MOREOVER WE ARE INCLINED TO EXPECT OPPOSITION TO IT, BEARING IN MIND THAT HONG KONG IS NOT A SEPARATE SIGNATORY OF THE L.T.A. (THE SUGGESTION IN YOUR TELEGRAM 451 PARA. 2 THAT HONG KONG PARTICIPATES IN ITS OWN RIGHT IN THE L.T.A. SEEMS QUESTIONABLE. DUNNETT'S LETTER TO BUXTON OF 13 JULY REFERS).
3. AS REGARDS YOUR PARA. 1, WE AGREE THAT IT WILL PROBABLY REMAIN IN THE INTERESTS BOTH OF HONG KONG AND OURSELVES TO AVOID EXPRESSIONS OF CONFLICTING VIEWS, BUT THE PROSPECT IS THAT THE
/EXPRESSION
CONFIDENTIAL
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