PRIORITY CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG
2509452
CONFIDENTIAL
235
CONFIDENTIAL /FRAME/
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO 836 OF 25TH OCTOBER, 1971 INFO PRIORITY BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE) CODEL BRUSSELS (FOR HANNAY) UKMIS GENEVA (FOR PEARSON) AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON.
E.E.C. GENERALISED PREFERENCES SCHEME.
I HAVE BEEN ADVISED INFORMALLY THAT THE E.E.C. IS SEEKING TO
EXCLUDE HONG KONG FROM ITS G.P.S. IN 1972 IN RESPECT OF THE FOLLOWING
ITEMS:
1. 84.52 AIC
2. 84.53
3. 84.55
4. 85.15 A 111
5. 93.55
LAST
AGF.
NEXI
REF.
639
~245
6. 90.37 EX A (+/- 35 MM. AND ACCESSORIES)
7. 93.38 A
8. 98.12
9.90.28
10. 93.29 A
11. 92.11 A
12. 92.13 A
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY NO.51
·260CT1971.
HKK 6/1
THE E.E.C. REPORTEDLY WOULD PREFER TO ACHIEVE ITS END BY REACHING
A GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT WITH HONG KONG WHEREBY HONG KONG WOULD
UNDERTAKE NOT TO ISSUE ANY PREFERENCE CERTIFICATES IN 1972, BUT
IT IS PREPARED TO DEAL WITH THE MATTER, AS IT HAS FOR TEXTILES
AND FOOTWEAR, BY DENYING PREFERENCE TO ''DEPENDENT TERRITORIES??.
2. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED BY THIS REPORTED MOVE BY THE E.E.C.
ESPECIALLY SINCE NO JUSTIFICATION OF OR EXPLANATION FOR IT HAS BEEN FORTHCOMING. I AM NOT PREPARED AT THIS STAGE TO CONSIDER ANY ..
''GENTELMAN'S AGREEMENT'' AND I WOULD CONSIDER THE E.E.C.'S
MANCEUVRE OF DENYING PREFERENCES TO ''DEPENDENT TERRITORIES'
ON THESE ITEMS TO BE (FOLLOWING TWO WORDS UNDERLINED) ULTRA
VIRES THE DEFINITIVE SETTLEMENT OF THE CASE OF HONG KONG'' IN THE
CONTEXT OF THE ENLARGEMENT NEGOTIATIONS.
3. I SHOULD BE MOST GRATEFUL THEREFORE IF CODEL BRUSSELS COULD BE
ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION IMMEDIATELY TO DETERMINE WHAT
PRECISELY THE E.E.C. HAS IN MIND IN SO FAR AS THESE PROPOSED
EXCLUSIONS ARE CONCERNED AND THE REASONS FOR THEM.
FCO PASS PRIORITY TO HK GOVT OFFICE LONDON
NORMAN-WALKER
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC & POLITICAL DISTRIBUTION
EID (1) HK.D.
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