CYPHER CAT A
CONFIDENTIAL
PFICE
PRIORITY UK MISSION GENEVA TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
12 AUGUST 1970.
(6)
TELEGRAM NUMBER 616
CONFIDENTIAL [NEUTRAL]
MIK
REF
(6x) 70)
бо
ADDRESSED TO FCO TEL NO 616 OF 12 AUGUST REPTD FOR INFMN TO
GOVERNOR HONG KONG AND WASHINGTON.
YOUR TELS. NOS. 514 AND 515 TO HONG KONG.
TEXTILES.
163) (66)
"Y.
14KK 6/18
SO LONG AS HONG KONG IS REPRESENTED IN GATT BY OR AS PART OF
THE UK DELEGATION IT HAS SEEMED TO ME TO BE IMPORTANT TO AVOID ALL EXPRESSION OF CONFLICTING VIEWS. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS APART, THE DELEGATION'S GENERAL POSITION WOULD BE WEAKENED IF OTHER DELEGATIONS
SAW THAT EXPLOITABLE DIFFERENCES EXISTED. IN MY LETTER OF 24 APRIL TO SIR L. MONSON 1 THEREFORE WELCOMED A FORM OF WORDS WHICH MADE IT
PLAIN THAT IN NO CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD CONFLICTING STATEMENTS BE MADE
IN THE GATT REFLECTING DIFFERING UK AND HONG KONG VIEWS. MY STRONG
PREFERENCE IS TO CONTINUE THE PRACTICE OF THE LAST FEW YEARS BY WHICH IN THE COTTON TEXTILES COMMITTEE, AS IN OTHER GATT BODIES, WE HAVE AVOIDED THE EXPRESSION OF DISCORDANT VIEWS AND HAVE ARRANGED MATTERS SO THAT, WHEN DELEGATIONS HAVE INCLUDED BOTH UK AND HK REPRESENTATIVES, POLICY STATEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE UK
SPOKESMEN AND HONG KONG REPRESENTATIVES HAVE PUT FORWARD HONG
KONG'S DETAILED VIEWS WITHIN HMG'S OVERALL POLICY. TO ENSURE THAT THIS PRACTICE IS MAINTAINED, I HOPE THAT QUOTE USUALLY UNQUOTE WILL BE OMITTED FROM THE LAST SENTENCE OF PARAGRAPH 5 OF THE DRAFT DESPATCH OR REPLACED WITH QUOTE IN PRACTICE UNQUOTE.
2.
辱
IN THE CASE OF NON-COTTON TEXTILES, HOWEVER, IT MAY BE THAT IT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO EVOLVE A COMPLETE IDENTITY OF VIEWS
BETWEEN THE UK AND HONG KONG E.G. IN THE PROPOSED WORKING PARTY ON TEXTILES. IN THAT CASE, RATHER THAN ALLOW A CONFLICT OF VIEWS TO ARISE WITHIN THE UK DELEGATION, A BETTER SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO SEEK SEPARATE HONG KONG REPRESENTATION IN THE COTTON TEXTILES. COMMITTEE AND (UNDERLINE NEXT TWO WORDS) MUTATIS MUTANDIS IN THE NEW WORKING PARTY. THE GATT SECRETARIAT HAVE NOT BEEN CONSULTED
BUT I THINK SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT WOULD NOT BE OPPOSED, ESPECIALLY IF PROPOSED AT THE SAME TIME AS WE COMMUNICATE TO GATT AN
EXPLANATION OF THE MODIFICATION OF POLICY SET OUT IN THE DESPATCH.
CONFIDENTIAL
13.