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the extent of paragraph 3 of Mr Rippon's statement and
Mr Rippon's personal assurance (Codel Brussels telegram
No 1 to Hong Kong) that we will work both before and
after enlargement to avoid such discrimination.
would guess that he is still very uneasy.
But I
Points outstanding from the discussions with the Governor
of Hong Kong in November
.7. You may like to know the position on these points.
The Governor' s request that the UK should press the EEC
to exclude all footwear and textiles from their scheme was
put to Ministers by EID. Mr Rippon and Mr Royle agreed
with the recommendation that we should not do so. Hong Kong Department are informing the Governor of this result. The position on Sir J Cowperthwaite's request on Hong Kong' minor reverse preferences is unchanged since my minute of
7 January. DTI are still unconvinced that the time is
ripe for a general submission on this question.
↓
If Hong
Kong regarded the matter as urgent, it could no doubt be
taken in isolation; but until such time as the Americans
are ready to implement their GPS, there seems to be no pressing reason to resolve the particular Hong Kong
situation.
Other dependent territories
8.
It is not strictly relevant here, but you may like to know that we have sent Tokyo the aide-memoire on the inclu- sion of other dependent territories for which they asked.
18 February 1971 cc: Mr Gallagher
EID HKD
In Buller
R G Britten
Trade Policy Department
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