PRIORITY
CR 370
CYPHER/CAT A
FM F C 0 311980Z
CONFIDENTIAL
FRAME FILES
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HK-BBC //SP
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RECE REGISTRY No. 51 12 NOV 1974
кат
HKK 6/598/1
74
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG TELNO 943 DATED 31 OCTOBER INFO UKREP BRUSSELS BRUSSELS (FOR BURGESS) UKMIS GENEVA (FOR DORWOOD) ETC HONG KONG
FOR JORDAN
HONG KONG AND THE GENERALISED SCHEME OF PREFERENCES
1. AS AGREED AT THE LUNCH MR KIDD GAVE ON 24 OCTOBER DURING
YOUR RECENT VISIT, WE HAVE NOW CONSULTED UKREP BRUSSELS, ON
THE BASIS OF THE TEXT YOU LEFT WITH US, ABOUT THE MEMORANDUM
YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT TO THE EEC COMMISSION. WE GATHER THAT
HONGKONG OFFICIALS HAVE ALSO BEEN IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH
COMMISSION OFFICIALS ON THIS MATTER.
2. UKREP BRUSSELS SEE NO OBJECTION IN PRINCIPLE TO YOUR PUTTING
IN A MEMORANDUM BUT THEY SHARE OUR VIEW THAT IT WOULD BE
INCAUTIOUS TO INCLUDE PARAGRAPH 5, AT LEAST IN ITS PRESENT FORM. THE ELEMENT OF THREAT IS ALL TOO EVIDENT IN THIS PARAGRAPH
AND IN THE VIEW OF UKREP BRUSSELS IT READS AS THOUGH HONGKONG
13 SEEKING TO MAKE A TARIFF PREFERENCE CONTRACTUAL AND THIS
WOULD OF COURSE BE UNACCEPTABLE. IN THE LIGHT OF UKREP BRUSSEL'S VIEW WE CONTINUE TO ADVISE STRONGLY AGAINST THE INCLUSION IN ANY
MEMORANDUM OF ANYTHING MORE OF YOUR PARARGRAPH 5 THAN THE WORDS
''FOR ITS PART THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS THAT IT
STANDS READY AT ALL TIMES TO RESPOND TO ANY REQUEST FOR
CONSULTATION''.
3. ON PARAGRAPH 7 YOU WILL RECALL THAT OUR ADVICE WAS THAT WHILE
THE SUGGESTION THAT YOUR UNILATERAL RESTRAINTS SHOULD CONTINUE
INTO 1975 SEEMED VERY REASONABLE IN ORDER TO AVOID DISRUPTING
NORMAL BUSINESS ACTIVITY UNTIL NEW ARRANGEMENTS CAN BE AGREED, IT WOULD BE BETTER TO DEAL WITH THIS POINT SEPARATELY, AND PERHAPS ORALLY, IN ORDER NOT TO RISK REAWAKENING RESENTMENT
IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE WAY THESE RESTRAINTS WERE INTRODUCED
CONFIDENTIAL
177'
/EARLIER THIS YEAR