GRS 938
CYPHER CAT A
FM UKREP BRUSSELS 290890Z
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TO ROUTINE FCO TEL NO 2814 OF 28 MAY,/INFO BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE), UKMIS GENEVA, HONG KONG.
PA
YOUR TEL NO 723: HONG KONG/EEC: TEXTILES.
12.1
1. AS INSTRUCTED WE SOUGHT THE CANCELLATION OF THIS MEETING BUT THE COMMISSION DISOBLIGED. IT THEREFORE WENT AHEAD ON 28 MAY.
2. ERNST (COMMISSION) URGED, PREDICTABLY, THAT THE DRAFT DIRECTIVES FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG (DOCUMENT S/592/73) SHOULD BE SUB- MITTED TO THE COMMITTEE OF PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES (COREPER) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS THE BASIS FOR A FIRM MANDATE FOR THE COMMISSION TO OPEN NEGOTIATIONS, ALL MEMBER STATES OPPOSED THE OPENING OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG AT THE PRESENT TIME AND ALSO OPPOSED THE
INSIST- SUBMISSION OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS TO COREPER. AT THE ENCE OF THE COMMISSION IT WAS AGREED THAT THE GROUP WOULD MAKE AN INTERIM REPORT TO THE COREPER ON 14 JUNE ON THE STATE OF THEIR DISCUSSIONS, THERE WAS SOME SUPPORT FOR A PROPOSAL THAT THE FUTURE DISCUSSIONS IN THE GROUP SHOULD COVER OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE FAR EAST AS WELL AS HONG KONG AND SHOULD CONSIDER THE BROADER QUESTION OF THE FORM WHICH THE COMMUNITY BILATERAL AGREEMENTS SHOULD TAKE WITH A VIEW TO DISCUSSION IN THE GATT CONTEXT. THE GROUP IS TO MEET AGAIN ON 14 AND POSSIBLY ALSO 15 JUNE TO DISCUSS THE RESULTS OF THE MEETINGS IN GENEVA AT THE BEGINNING OF JUNE AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE COREPER DISCUSSION ON 14 JUNE, TO CONSIDER WHAT HAPPENS NEXT ON THE
BILATERAL FRONT.
3. IN HIS OPENING STATEMENT, ERNST ARGUED THE URGENCY FOR AGREE- .ING A HONG KONG MANDATE ON THE GROUNDS THAT, FOR THE DISCUSSIONS
IN GENEVA, HE NEEDED MORE GUIDANCE ON THE KIND OF BILATERAL AGREE- MENTS THE COMMUNITY WOULD WISH TO CONCLUDE: A HONG KONG MANDATE WOULD PROVIDE A SCHEMA FOR AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER COUNTRIES IN THE FAR EAST. THE BENELUX, FOLLOWED BY THE ITALIANS AND OURSELVES, ARGUED THAT ON THE CONTRARY THE SOLUTION OF THE COMMUNITY'S BILATERAL PROBLEMS SHOULD FOLLOW A MULTILATERAL AGREEMENT. THE BENELUX MAIN- TAINED THEIR GENERAL RESERVE ON THE OPENING OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG AND SAID THAT WHILE THEY DID HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HONG
/KONG
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