Mr Hale
назе
HONG KONG TEXTILES
CONFIDENTIAL
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY NO.45 -4dd1 1972
MC43/393/16
It is important that we should know precisely the effect
of our international obligations on the treatment of cotton
textile imports from Hong Kong and other countries.
2. The specific question is whether there is anything in
those obligations which would prevent us from making to Hong
Kong a specific concession in the British market designed to
meet a specific problem created for Hong Kong by our import
quota system without making either the same concession, or
some other concession to other countries from whom we import
cotton textiles.
3. The relevant agreements are, I believe, the GATT and the
Long Term Arrangement regarding international trade in cotton
textiles.
4. I know it is difficult to obtain a precise answer to this
question, but we must do our best to get one.
Would you
therefore please put this minute, together with the appropriate
agrements and any other documents which you consider relevant,
to your departmental Legal Adviser.
16 December 1971
HE KOOR Thank you Chrif.
Mr Keeble
ск
H B C Keeble
In 2 minutes of 17 December our legal adviser (Mr Wood) has commented as follows:-
"Hong Kong is a colony, and so generally speaking our MFN
obligations would not apply to special treatment given to her.
CONFIDENTIAL
But