PRIORITY
CYPHER/CAT A
RESTRICTED
KELEIVED A
REGISTRY Nɔ.51
FM UKDEL EC BRUSSELS 231125Z
28 NOV 1972
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1972
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TO PRIORITY FCO TELEGRAM NO 2139 OF 23 NOVEMBER INFO PRIORITY
HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON. INFO SAVING TO BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE)
(102) 2
(103)
HONG KONG TEL NO 1014 AND 1075: HONG KONG'S FUTURE STATUS IN GATT.
THE MEETING OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS, TENTATIVELY
ARRANGED FOR 33 NOVEMBER - IS PROBABLY BEING CHANGED TO 14 DECEMBER. THERE MAY BE A MEETING OF THE ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE (GATT AFFAIRS) ON
1 DECEMBER. THE COMPOSITION OF THE TWO COMMITTEES IS SIMILAR.
2. WE HAVE EXPLAINED THE POSITION AND THE PROPOSED SOLUTION TO THE
DUTCH CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS. HE SAW NO
OBJECTION, AND COMMENTED THAT WHAT WE WERE PROPOSING SEEMED TO
FOLLOW WHAT THE DUTCH DO FOR THE OVERSEAS TERRITORIES FOR WHOSE
FOREIGN RELATIONS THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE.
3. GRATEFUL FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON WHETHER 14 DECEMBER WOULD BE TOO
LATE FOR US TO RAISE THIS QUESTION, A WRITTEN PROCEDURE, IF WE
COULD DEVISE ONE, WOULD BE CUMBERSOME AND EXCESSIVELY FORMAL. WE
COULD ALTERNATIVELY TRY, BENDING THE RULES OF ORDER, TO USE THE ARTICLE 113 COMMITTEE (GATT) IF IT MEETS ON 1ST DECEMBER
AND IF WE CAN FIX THE CHAIRMAN, WHO LIVES IN THE HAGUE.
PALLISER
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC DISTRIBUTION
EID
HKIOD
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COPIES TO:
RESTRICTED
HK GOVT OFFICE LONDON SW1.