TELEPHONE
01-588 01-588
1160. 2440.
THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION.
BROAD STREET HOUSE,
54, OLD BROAD STREET,
JHH/CW.
LONDON, E.C.2.
PART
The Rt. Hon Anthony Barber T.D., M.P.,
House of Commons,
London, S.W.1.
Dear the Barber,
10th July, 1970.
I know you are interested in Hong Kong and are well acquainted with the problems of this British Crown Colony, but I feel I should nevertheless write to you on behalf of the Hong Kong Association to urge that special consideration should be given to Hong Kong's position in your current negotiations for Britain's entry into the European Common Market.
In the Associations' view the Colony has a strong claim for association with the Community along the lines of Article 4 of the Treaty of Rome, because, as a Colony, it is in reality a Dependant Territory, despite its economic successes since the war, and at the same time it is an Underdeveloped Territory in the sense that there is still an enormous amount to be done to improve the standard of living of its people and to provide sufficient housing, schools, hospitals etc. This position is understandable in view of the population explosion from 600,000 at the end of the war to the present 4,000,000, a population increase which I venture to suggest would have left even the more advanced countries in despair. Moreover, I believe Hong Kong is classified as underdeveloped by the United Nations, as indeed it should be when compared with other countries whose claims to developing status have never been disputed.
RESE
RIGHTY.Me.31
Continued/.
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