CONFIDENTIAL

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

...In Confidence

DRAFT BRIEF

To:-

Type 1 +

From

Telephone No. & Ext.

Department

HONG KONG'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE EEC AND THE GATT

10. The inclusion of Hong Kong in the EEC Generalised

Preference Scheme is an important concession to

Hong Kong. Detailed discussions are yet to take

place on the alignment of the UK's scheme with that

of the EEC. In recent discussion in Hong Kong

Mr Rippon told the Governor that he thought Hong

Kong's representation in Brussels should continue,

to be attached to HM Embassy. It would not be to

the Colony's advantage for this to form part of

the British representation to the Community.

Britain's membership of the Community should

strengthen her hand in opposing restrictive

X

practices, for example by the French, and prevent-

ing other members of the Community from adopting

them.

il. Hong Kong's future position in the GATT after we

join the EEC was fully discussed by Whitehall

officials with the Hong Kong Financial Secretary

and others on 3 October. There was complete

agreement that the best practical solution whereby

Hong Kong's special problems could still be aired

th in, GATT following our accession would be for the

Hong Kong representative to sit as a member of the

UK delegation (as at present) but with a separate

/"UK (Hong Kong)"

(885363) Dd. 896639 1,000м 8/71 St.S.

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