FLASH
CYPHER/CAT A
GR 350
FM UKREP BRUSSELS 111523Z
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
PA
32D
1
1 Big
321
HKK 121616).
TO FLASH FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 6770 OF 11 NOVEMBER
15 NOV
MI PT:
see que
above.
FOLLOWING IS THE TEXT OF HONG KONG NOTE VERBALE DATED 11 NOVEMBER
THE MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN
COMMUNITIES AND THE MEMBER STATES PRESENTS HIS COMPLIMENTS TO THE
DI RECTOR-GENERAL OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS OF THE COMMISSION OF THE
EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND HAS THE HONOUR TO REFER TO THE NEGOTIATIONS
HELD UNDER THE ARRANGEMENT REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND TEXT-
ILES BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND HONG KONG, AS
REQUESTED BY THE DIRECTORATE-GENERAL'S NOTE VERBALE 5020 OF 16 SEPT-
EMBER 1977 AND THE CONFIRMATION OF THE REQUEST CONTAINED IN THE DIR-
ECTORATE GENERAL'S NOTE VERBALE 5312 OF 30 SEPTEMBER 1977.
THE MINISTER IS INSTRUCTED BY THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT TO INFORM
THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL THAT, ALTHOUGH NO OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION HAS BEEN RECEIVED, IT IS NOTED FROM THE PRESS STATE-
MENT ISSUED BY THE COMMISSION THAT THE NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND HONG KONG ARE CONSIDERED BY THE COMMISSION TO HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE HONG KONG
DELEGATION HAS RETURNED TO HONG KONG.
THE MINISTER IS FURTHER INSTRUCTED TO SAY THAT THE HONG KONG
DELEGATION REMAINS READY AT ANY TIME TO RETURN TO BRUSSELS, THAT
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT STILL WISHES TO REACH A MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE BILATERAL AGREEMENT UNDER THE MFA HAVING REGARD TO COMTEX/W/44 WITH
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, AND THAT THE HONG KONG DELEGATION
IS PREPARED TO RESUMEDISCUSSION WITH THE OTHER ELEMENTS IN THE HONG
KONG PROPOSAL TABLED ON 4 NOVEMBER 1977 WHILE THE COMMUNITY CONSID-
ERS FURTHER THE QUANTITATIVE LIMITS OFFERED BY HONG KONG.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS NOTED THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS ACCEPTED
THESE AS MEETING THE 'STABILISATION REQUIREMENTS'' FOR
THE PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY DOMESTIC PROCEDURES.
RESTRICTED
/THE MINISTER