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Your reference
M D Butler Esq
FCO
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51 29 JAN 1974
Our reference
6/1/2
Date
25 January 1974
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LAST
98.
(I)
NEX
REF.
Dear Michael
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GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES: HONG KONG
1
Thank you for your letter of January 21. I raised this question to-day at our regular luncheon meeting with the chefs de cabinet of the British Commissioners.
2
Hanmay told me that the Commission's present intention was to improve by three months on their performance in 1973. This would mean submitting proposals not later than July on the shape of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences for 1975. He said that the Commission had been strongly criticisec. by the Parliament because of the late stage at which the Parliament had been consulted last year, and they had other reasons of their own for improving their performance.
3
He knew of our interest in improving Hong Kong's position in 1975 having well in mind the statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy at the Council meeting on November 6.
But he referred mysteriously to a visit which Van Thirh Tran (the Commission's Preferences expert) had paid to Hong Kong in December. This is the first I have heard of this visit. The ingenious Tran apparently has some ideas on how to improve performance in 1975. I intend to give him lunch one day next week, so please regard this as purely an interim reply until I can report at greater length.
5
As you imply in your own letter and in your letter to Jordar of December 21, it is very unlikely that member states will agree to give preferential treatment to Hong Kong on textiles and footwear whatever resolute pressure we bring to bear on them. But if the Commission refuse to propose it, we should rot, to quote a favourite phrase of Sir C Soames, stand a cat in hell's chance.
Yours.
ww
Bob GoldShark
R Goldsmith
Copy to P S Preston Esq, DTI, and A Stuart Esq, HKIOD - FCO