CYPHER/CAT A
MUKMIS GENEVA 231045Z
CONFIDENTIAL
[NEUTRAL]
CONFIDENTIAL
TO ROUTINE HONG KONG TEL NO 30
OF 23
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No.51 20 NOV 1972
DKK68
NOVEMBER 1972.
INFO F C C, U K DEL BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE)
112
FROM PEARSON
LAST
REF.
Goa)
C
RLI.
YOUR TEL NO 1074 TO F C 0.
HONG KONG AND G A T T AFTER 1 JANUARY, 1973.
1. U K DEL BRUSSELS HAVE ADVISED THAT MEETING OF E E C GATT
COMMITTEE IS LIKELY TO BE DEFERRED FROM 37 NOVEMBER TO
PROBABLY 14 DECEMBER.
2. IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO CLEAR DRAFT
OF PROPOSED LETTER EARLIER BY WRITING TO OTHER E E C DELEGATIONS
IN BRUSSELS OR IN GENEVA BUT CLEARLY THIS WOULD SPOTLIGHT WHOLE
ISSUE UNDESIRABLY. I HAVE THEREFORE EXPRESSED VIEW IN UK MISSION
THAT IT WILL BE PREFERABLE TO STICK TO TACTICAL PLAN TIN
PARAGRAPH 3 OF YOUR TEL AND ACCEPT DELAY.
3. QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S GATT POSITION AFTER 1 JANUARY MAY BE TOUCHED ON IN STANDARDS WORKING GROUP MEETING 4 TO 15 DECEMBER
IN DISCUSSION OF APPLICATION OF STANDARDS CODE TO DEPENDENT TERRITORIES. IF SO WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIMIT ANY STATEMENT TO FACT THAT THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE IN U K'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR
HONG KONG'S EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS.
FCO PASS COPIES TO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON:
G T ROGERS S WM DIVISION, D T 1: MISS J ELLIOTT, CRE 1 DTI.
MASON
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
COPIES TO
MR GT ROGERS
INTERNATIONAL TRADE DISTRIBUTION
TPD HKIOD
SWM DIV DTI
MISS J ELLIOTT
CRE 1 DTI
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
GRAFTON ST LONDON
CONFIDENTIAL