other sterling holders on this and aim to indicate our
conclusions in good time before expiry of the present
arrangements.
20. HONG KONG AND THE EEC GENERALISED SCHEME OF
PREFERENCES (GSP) (Brief no. 4)
Our alignment with the Community's GSP scheme on
1 January 1974 means discriminating against Hong Kong's.
textiles and footwear in favour of some of its major
competitors. Since we could not re-negotiate the
terms of entry, we confined ourselves to informing the
Council of Ministers that we would press resolutely for
the elimination of this discrimination during the 1974
annual review. This statement has been published.
21.
Possible Criticisms:
The political damage took
place at the moment of alignment.
Importers also.
place their orders ahead in the light of the actual
and there will be a diviers in of Trache Sorom Mang Kony situation This is a damaging precedent for action by
the United States and Japan.
22.
Line to Take: The undertaking by the Chancellor
of the Duchy in Brussels on 6 November was a major
political effort by HMG on behalf of Hong Kong.
During the entry negotiations in 1971 we fought hard
to get Hong Kong included in the Community's OSP.
They eventually agreed to do so, with the exception
only of textiles and footwear. We have put them on
notice that this discrimination against Hong Kong is
no longer de falde,
i
23.
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