RES PRICTED
THE EXPECTED TRADE. THE TRADE, WHICH HAS TRADITIONALLY BEEN DUTY FREE, IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MALAYSIA AND SINGAPORE AND THESE COUNTREIS WISH TO DEVELOP IT FURTHER AND ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS. THEIR EXPORTERS ARE CURRENTLY FACING DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE OF THE WORLD DECLINE IN DEMAND FOR PLYWOOD. FOOTWEAR FOR HONG KONG.
7. YOU SHOULD STRONGLY SUPPORT THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS FOR
INCLUDING HONG KONG AMONG THE BENEFICIARIES FOR FOOTWEAR. YOU MAY
·
LIKE TO REFER TO YOUR STATEMENT IN THE COREPER ON 10 OCOTBER (YRTELNO 4399) TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE ENDING OF GSP DISCRIMINATION AGAINST HONG KONG IS AN IMPORTANT UK OBJECTIVE. YOU SHOULD SAY THAT WE RECOGNISE THAT THE EUROPEAN FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY IS FACING DIFFICUL-
TIES BUT SHOULD DRAW ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS WHICH HONG KONG'S OWN FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY HAS, THE MODEST NATURE OF THE COMMISSION'S PROPOSALS, AND THE FACT THAT THE DOMESTIC PROBLEMS STEM ESSENTIALLY FROM IMPORTS FROM OTHER NON-DEVELOPING SOURCES, IN PARTICULAR EASTERN EUROPE AND SPAIN. YOU SHOULD ALSO MENTION IN PASSING THAT WE WISH TO SEE PROGRESS FOR HONG KONG IN THE TEXTILES FIELD TOO.
CALLAGHAN
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC FILES DISTRIBUTION
EID
HKIOD
SAD
SIR O WRIGHT
MR MALE
3
RES TRIC PED
ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION
FRAME