CONFIDENTIAL
RECE! REGIST
IN
HKK 6/
0.51
61598/1
Mr Youde PS/Mr Royte
quae
LAST
REF.
·73 (152) (195) (146)
31E/2.
14 JAN1974
EXT
REF
HKK 6/598;
see b
PA
(3)
Flag A
3/5/1
Flag A
3/E/2
HONG KONG AND THE EEC'S GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES
1.
When Mr Jordan was in London at the beginning of December,
he suggested to Mr Royle that the United Kingdom should agree that
the revision of the Community's GSP should be discussed early in
1974 rather than at the end of the year. He pointed out that the
Hong Kong textile industry were taking orders nine months in advance,
and that if a revision in the GSP was to be effective in 1975, it
would have to become known early in 1974.
2.
Mr Jordan said that the Hong Kong industry and public, after
a slow start, were becoming increasingly concerned about the UK's
failure to achieve, or even to demand, the elimination of discrimina-
tion on 1 January 1974. He had been pressed to take up the question
during his visit to the UK. He handed over copies of three memoranda
from the industry in Hong Kong illustrating the extent of their
concern. One of these documents was repeated in Hong Kong Saving
telegram no. 441 (also attached). Mr Jordan thought that if he could
be authorised to announce on his return that HMG would be pressing
the case early in 1974, this would take some of the heat out of the
situation.
3.
In the event, although it could have been possible to give
Mr Jordan the assurance he sought before his return to Hong Kong, his
government's decision on the Mass Transit system intervened, which
made new attempts to conciliate opinion in Hong Kong at that moment
/inappropriate.
CONFIDENTIAL