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7. 1 SAID THAT THE PROPOSALS MADE BY THE COMMUNITY ON 12
JANUARY WITH RESPECT TO THE INCLUSION OF HONG KONG IN THE
COMMUNITY'S GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME FROM THE DATE OF ITS
IMPLEMENTATION HAD HOW BEEN CONSIDERED TOGETHER WITH THE
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION WHICH HAD BEEN GIVEN TO US BY THE
COMMUNITY ON 26 JANUARY. I HAD WELCOMED THE COMMUNITY DECISION
TO ACCEPT MY PROPOSAL TO INCLUDE HONG KONG IN THE COMMUNITY'S
GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME. WE WOULD DO OUR UPMOST BY THE
DIPLOMATIC CHANNEL TO ENSURE THAT THE OTHER MAJOR DONORS UNDER THE
GENERALISED PREFERENCE SCHEME WOULD ALSO INCLUDE HONG KONG SO
THAT THERE WOULD THUS BE A REASONABLE SHARING OF THE BURDEN.
I HAVE STRESSED THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO AVOID DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST HONG KONG IN FAVOUR OF ITS PRINCIPLE COMPETITORS
AMONG THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, IN PARTICULAR TAIWAN AND SOUTH
KOREA.
NEW HEBRIDES
8. M. SCHUMANN AND I HAD NOW WRITTEN TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
COUNCIL ON THIS QUESTION AND WE AGREED THAT THE NEW HEBRIDES
SHOULD BE OFFERED ASSOCIATION BY THE ENLARGED COMMUNITY UNDER PART
1V OF THE TREATY OF ROME, I HAD ASKED THAT THIS AGREEMENT BE
FORMALLY RECORDED IN THE MINUTES OF THE CONFERENCE.
TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
9. THE COMMUNITY HAD MADE PROPOSALS ON INDUSTRIAL TARIFFS MILCH
WERE VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH OUR THINKING. THEIR PROPOSALS
WERE OF COURSE CONDITIONAL ON AGREEMENTS YET TO BE REACHED IN THE
AGRICULTURAL SECTOR. ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT APPEAR THAT NOT MUCH
PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, A GREAT DEAL HAD BEEN DONE AT WORKING LEVEL IN THIS DIFFICULT FIELD, PROGRESS
WOULD INEVITABLY BE SLOW,
COMMUNITY FINANCE
10. THE COMMUNITY HAD PRODUCED A PIECE OF PAPER WHICH I HAD BEEN
ABLE TO DESCRIBE AS NOTHING VERY DISASTROUS. IT HAD BEEN
IMPORTANT THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD NOT COME FORWARD WITH A WHOLLY
UNACCEPTABLE VIEW IN THIS FIELD. THIS LAST SESSION HAD PRESENTED
THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE A CAREFUL EXPLANATION OF WHAT WE CONSIDERED
TO BE REASONABLE PROPOSALS, IN WHICH WE HAD SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE
THE BALANCE OF MUTUAL ADVANTAGE.
11. IN REPLY TO QUESTIONS. I MADE THE FOLLOWING POINTS.
ASIAN COMMONWEALTH
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712. I SAID
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