CPS
423
CYPHER CAT A
FM BRUSSELS 39:1493Z
CONFIDENTIAL
(176)
Entun
ECC- GSP
31/+
CONFIDENTIAL
TO ROUTINE GOVERNOR HONG KONG TEL NO 66 OF 33 OCTOBER 1974
INFO ROUTINE FCO. SAVING TO UKREP BRUSSELS.
FROM BURGESS
EEC:GSP
RECE
RE
1000
p.a.
1.
MEMORANDA TO DCI NO.275 AND 276 EN ROUTE EXPRESS AIRMAIL (NOT TO ALL).
HKK 6/598 ///
2. THE FIVE CATEGORY 3 ITEMS FOR HONG KONG MENTIONED IN MY PARAGRAPH 12 OF NO.275 ABOVE ARE, I UNDERSTAND, POSITIONS:
TARIFF
66.01,
67.14,
71.16,
85.10,
AND 97.93.
LAST
PE:
P
183
3. SOUTH KOREA'S ONE ITEM IN CATEGORY 3 IS 67.34, AS THINGS STAND, WHICH IS OF NO HELP TO US.
4. WE SAW THE IRISH DELEGATION LAST NICHT AS FORECAST
BUT COULD NOT SHIFT THEM FROM THEIR STAND ON FOOTWEAR.
IT STEMS FROM A MINISTERIAL DECISION BASED ON POLITICAL GROUNDS IN FACE OF GENERAL FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY PROBLEMS.
THEY ADMITTED LACK OF HONG KONG FOOTWEAR PERFORMANCE IN THE PAST BUT ARE WORRIED BOTH ABOUT POTENTIAL
DIRECT IMPORTS IF THE TARIFFS ARE REMOVED AND MORE -
PARTICULARLY ABOUT FUTURE CONSIDERABLY INCREASED INDIRECT
IMPORTS THROUGH THE UK AS A RESULT OF FREE CIRCULATION.
5. THE IRISH HINTED AT THE POSSIBILITY OF HONG KONG
XERCISING SOME SELF-RESTRAINT ON FOOTWEAR EXPORTS TO THE
UK AS POTENTIALLY HELPFUL TO THEM BUT WE THOUGHT ANY
SUCH ARRANGEMENT WAS HIGHLY UNLIKELY.
CONFIDENTIAL
16.
THERE