GPS 230
PORITY
CHER/CAT A
FM FCO 021055Z
CONFIDENTIAL
FRAME FILES
RECEIVED IN
REGISTRY No. 51
J
- 3 MAY 1974
HKK 6/598/1
CONFIDENTIAL
45
PA
HKK 6/598/1
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 418 OF 2 MAY, 1974 INFO UKREP BRUSSELS, BRUSSELS (FOR DODGE) UKTS GENEVA (FOR PEARSON).
LAST
YOUR TELNO 478: EEC GSP.
REF.
44
NEXT
(62
}
1. WE ARE FULLY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO ENSURE THAT FULL ACCOUNT
IS TAKEN OF HONG KONG'S INTERESTS DURING THIS YEAR'S REVIEW OF
THE COMMUNITY'S GSP. NOT ONLY SHALL WE BE PRESSING FOR THE
INCLUSION OF HONG KONG'S TEXTILES AND FOOTWEAR EXPORTS IN THE .
SCHEME FROM 1975 ONWARDS BUT ALSO WE SHALL DO ALL WE CAN TO ENSURE
THAT ANY GENERAL MODIFICATIONS IN THE SCHEME, E.G. IN THE BUTOIR SYSTEM, DO NOT LEAD TO ANY WORSENING OF THE POSITION FOR HONG KONG, 2. I DO NOT, HOWEVER, CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE OR, INDEED, PRACTICABLE TO MAKE A STATEMENT ON HONG KONG, IN THE COUNCIL
OF MINISTERS MEETING ON 7 MAY, MY NEXT STATEMENT ON RENEGOTIATION
IS NOT BEING MADE UNTIL 4 JUNE, IN THAT STATEMENT I SHALL BE
REFERRING TO OUR DESIRE TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
COMMUNITY'S GSP BOTH IN ITS STRUCTURE AND COVERAGE. NEARER THE
TIME WE SHALL BE CONSIDERING THE DETAILS OF THE STATEMENT AND
WHAT SHOULD BE SAID ABOUT HONG KONG.
3. I REGRET THAT IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES THIS MEANS DELAYING THINGS
YET A FURTHER MONTH BUT I HOPE THAT YOU WILL APPRECIATE THAT IT
IS. BEST TO KEEP THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG IN STEP WITH PROGRESS
ON OUR ATTITUDE TO THE GSP GENERALLY. IN FACT WE BELIEVE THAT THE
BEST HOPE FOR HONG KONG LIES IN KEEPING THE QUESTION OF HER PARTICULAR PROBLEMS IN THE GENERAL CONTEXT OF OUR PROPOSALS FOR
IMPROVEMENTS. IN THE GSP.
CALLAGHAN
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC FILES DISTRIBUTION
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
EID
HKIOD
MR CARTER
MR WILFORD MR YOUDE
COPIES TO:
CONFIDENTIAL
FRAME
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE
GRAFTON ST.
!