NOTHING TO BE Written in THIS MARGIN
W(B)L 51-7406
DRAFT BRIEF
Talking Points
CONFIDENTI AL
2.
Hong Kong and the EBC
Delighted to be here.
Our ties are exceptionally close. The
purpose of my visit is to assure myself that
I fully understand your problems and your
aspirations in the context of our application ·
for membership of the 33C. I have not come to
negotiate, nor to make promises. I know that
-
you have always had a clear understanding of
the difficulties that our membership of the EEC
difficulties that our senisnship might bring
and, I trust, the very great opportunities also.
at What I want is to hear from you your
views on what would be the likely difficulties
facing your phenomenal economy, and how you
3.
think those difficulties might be met or
mitigated.
Association
4.
There seems to be very little likelihood
of the Six agreeing to associated status for
Hong Kong. In the 1961-3 negotiations, as you
know, they considered association to be
inappropriate for you; and we have no evidence
that they have changed or are likely to change
their minds on this.
C.R.T.
5. This means that, unless specific provisions
can be made, Britain would have to apply the
CET in full to your exports at the end of
whatever transitional period we can ourselves
secure. Of course, for man-made fibre goods
you and other Commonwealth exporters already
/face
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