RESTRICTED
NO COMMISTON PROPOSALS ON THE TABLE, AND THAT BRUSSELS WORKING METHODS ARE INEVITABLY LENGHTY, SHE SAW NO PRATICAL POSSIBILITY OF
NIYTHING BEING ACHIEVED IN TIME FOR 1975. SHE SUGGESTED THAT THE
QUESTION SHOULD BE TAKEN UP AGAIN EARLY IN 1975 WITH A VIEW TO THE
COMMUNITY'S 1976 GSP SCHEME. EVEN THEN SHE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE
DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION ALL AT ONCE, SHE SPOKE RATHER IN TERMS OF WORKING FOR A SOLUTION OVER TIME,
4. THOUGH TOO MUCH SHOULD NOT BE MADE OF THIS, TOWARDS THE END OF OUR
DISCUSSIONS THERE WAS NEVERTHELESS A FAINT HINT THAT THE FRENCH MIGHT NOT BE TOTALLY OPPOSED TO THE INCLUSION OF HONG KONG ON A
SELECTIVE RANGE OF TEXTILES IN THE 1975 GSP.
5. ON THE PROBLEM OF THE ''SUPER-COMPETITIVES'' MLLE GUYOT SAID THAT
THE FRENCH DISLIKED THE COMMISSION PROPOSALS AS THEY STOOD, 11
PARTICULAR, THEY WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT SIMULTANEUOUSLY ABOLITION BOTH OF COUNTRY TARIFF QUOTAS AND OF THE CURRENT BUTOIR
SYSTEM. IN THIS CONNECTION SHE REFERRED TO POTENTIAL CONFLICT
DETVED THE INTERESTS OF HONG KONG, WHICH WAS BROADLY CONTENT WITH THE 1974 SENSITIVE LIST ARRANGEMENTS, AND THOSE OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM WHICH WAITED TO SEE COUNTRY TARIFF QUOTAS ABOLISHED, SHE ALSO SPOKE OF THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTY IN RELATION TO OTHERS SUCH AS
MIGOSLAVIA AND ROMANIA
6. SUMMIG UP OUR DISCUSSION SHE RECOGNISED THAT THE FRENCH COULD
NOT DE TOTALLY MEGATIVE IN RESPONSE TO HONG KONG'S REPRESENTATIONS
AID THOUGHT THAT THE SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO TACKLE FOOTWEAR FOR 1975 AND TEXTILES FOR 1976, HOWEVER SHE EMPHASTED THAT THESE WERE PURFLY
PERSONAL REACTIONS. THE FRENCH INTER-DEPARTMENTAL DISCUSSIONS OR THIS
SUBJECT TENDED TO BE DIFFICULT, WITH THE DREE SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE
ARGUEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY ON ONE HAND AND THOSE OF THE
QUA! D'ORSAY ON THE OTHER, SHE UNDERTOOK THAT THE DOCUMENTATION WE
LEFT WITH HER WOULD BE STUDIED AND SEEMED PREPARED TO CONSIDER THE
POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER ROUND OF DISCUSSION AFTER THE HOLIDAYS, BY WHICH TIME SHE WILL HAVE CONSULTED OTHER FRENCH MINISTRIES CONCERNED.
MONG KONG MAY WISH TO CONSIDER THIS TOEA WHICH WE THINK WOULD BE
USEFUL.
FCO PLEASE PASS TO ALL SAVING ADDRESSES.
TOMKINS
[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC
DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION
EID
HKTOD
2 RESTRICTED
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION FRAME
COPIES TO
HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE 6 GRAFTON STREET
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