2
6
two evils.
cut back. It was un-
11
LP said Hong Kong must accept some realistic to resist this in view of UK unemployment and
the depression fromw hich EEC had suffered. Hong Kong had already accepted this point. to a roll back to 1976 exports.
LP asked what were points on issue?
MM said there were three points.
(A) Export Control
MM said that
It had agreed
Miss McFarlane said that the principle of export control
There was some argument had been agreed from the outset. over the text of the provisions in the agreement but the
MM said that at one stage Tran principle had been agreed. had even withdrawn his unofficial agreement to export control and the matter still had not been settled. thought that this was probably a point that could be agreed.
(B) Categorisation
He
}
to be imposed MM The categories under which restraints were had still not been decided and are not due for publication until the middle of December. Without a definition of the items to be controlled it was impossible to know what restrictions were intended. EEC importers had been horrified by the requirement to wait until the middle of December before knowing on what categories they could look for trade. Miss McFarlane said that transition arrangements were being discussed. The transition arrangements were mainly designed to deal with countries whose exports had not previously been under control, and she was not certain that they would be applied to all countries.
a
LP confessed he did not understand this point but it seemed
to him and he technical one
could not believe that a major catastrophe would be caused by failure to reach agreement on
a technical point.
not
any definitions yet
MM said that there simply were available. LP said that in a world recession the present
MM said he thought that position ceased to be acceptable. the problem of categorisation could probably be settled.
.../.
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