CONFIDENTIAL
6.
THERE ARE NEW RUMOURS THAT THE EARLIER RESIDUAL
BENELUX AND ITALIAN RESERVATIONS MAY BE SMOOTHED AWAY
TODAY, ALBEIT WITH NEW COMPLICATED FORMULAE FURTHER TO REDUCE ANY ACTUAL BENEFITS BUT AT LEAST ALSO RESULTING IN
THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESENT DISCRIMINATION,
7. THE OUTCOME CANNOT YET BE FORECAST BUT THE IRISH
SEEMED SOMEWHAT ALARMED AT THE PROSPECT WE PAINTED
OF THEIR BEING TOTALLY ISOLATED IN OPPOSITION IF THEY HELD
TO THE PRESENT LINE. THEY INDICATED THAT HMG HAD INDEED
BEEN FIGHTING VERY RESOLUTELY IN PURSUIT OF HONG KONG'S -
INTERESTS IN THIS SECTOR.
8.
THIS ITEM IS ON THE AGENDA FOR COREPER (DEPUTIES)
MEETING THIS AFTERNOON.
9. WE HAVE CONTEMPLATED COING TO DUBLIN AGAIN, IF ONLY FOR PRESENTATIONAL REASONS IN HONG KONG, AND THERE MAY
WELL BE SOME CASE FOR THIS IN THE NEXT PHASE. AT PRESENT
IT WOULD NOT I THINK BE PRODUCTIVE. THE IRISH ARE FULLY
COGNIZANT OF HONG KONG'S PROBLEMS AND OF THE POLITICAL
ISSUES. A VISIT IN THE CURRENT SITUATION WOULD ONLY BE
OF VALUE IF WE HAD SOMETHING TO OFFER, 1.E. SOME FORM
OF SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. WE CAN SEE NOTHING FEASIBLE IN
THE SECTOR AND THINK THAT WE STILL HAVE TO RELY ON HMG
AND THE COMMISSION TO DISPOSE OF THE IRISH OPPOSITION.
COPY PASSED SAVING TO UKREP BRUSSELS.
MUIRHEAD
FILES
EID
HRIOD
MR BUTLER
2
CONFIDENTIAL