GRS 400
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM UKREP BRUSSELS 2719157
CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
!!!
#
-O JUN 1974
FRAME DEPTL
HKK 6/598/1
MAG
57
6/595/1
la
4/11
TO PRIORITY FCO TELNO. 2420 OF 27 MAY INFO UKMIS GENEVA INFO SAVING E E C POSTS.
YOUR TELNO. 477:
LAST
RE:
(56) (52
52
i
GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES (GSP).
NEXT
REF
1. I SPOKE ACCORDINGLY TO DAY TO BOTH THE PRESIDENT OF THE
COMMISSION AND TO THE VICE PRESIDENT RESPONSIBLE FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS.
2.
ORTOLI LISTENED AND MADE AN OCCASIONAL NOTE, HE ASSENTED IN PARTICULAR TO THE PROPOSITION THAT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE G S P WOULD BE A MEANS OF HELPING THOSE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE COVERED BY THE JOINT DECLARATION OF INTENT, FOR WHOM ASSOCIATION IS NOT AVAILABLE. BUT OTHERWISE HE MADE NO COMMENT BEYOND THANKING ME AND NOTING THAT I WOULD BE SPEAKING AT GREATER LENGTH TO SOAMES.
3. I DID SO IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER AND LEFT A SHORT PIECE OF PAPER WITH SCAMES (COPIED BY BAG TO DEPARMENT) SUMMARISING THE POINTS THROUGH WHICH I TOOK HIM IN SOME DETAIL FROM YOUR T U R
AND OTHER TELEGRAMS. HE SAID THAT SO FAR AS THE COMMISSION WAS
CONCERNED WE WERE PUSHING AT A LARGELY OPEN DOOR IN URGING
IMPROVEMENTS IN TE G S P. BUT WE WOULD REALISE THAT THE
COMMISSION HAD TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE VIEWS OF 8 OTHER MEMBER
COUNTRIES, FEW OF WHOM WERE AS KEEN AS WE TO SEE VERY SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES MADE. IN GENERAL SOAMES' LIME WAS VERY CLOSE TO THAT
TAKEN BY THE COMMISSION DURING THE MEETING IN BRUSSELS ON MAY 16 REPORTED IN MY 2309. IN PARTICULAR HE SHOWED LITTLE DISPOSITION
TO ACCEPT OUR ARGUMENTS IN RESPECT OF HONG KONG. HE SAID THAT
UNDER THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS HONG KONG WOULD NOT BE LOSING
ANY BENEFITS. BUT CERTAIN LESS FAVOURED DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
CONFIDENTIAL
/ WOULD