CONFIDENTIAL
H.KK 121/616
926
IMMEDIATE
DESKBY 251208Z
CYPHER/CAT A
FM UKREP BRUSSELS 241748Z
CONFIDENTIAL
FRAME EXTERNAL
DESK BY 251000Z
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELEGRAM NUMBER 7187 OF 24 NOVEMBER
INFO SAVING UKMIS GENEVA.
TEXTILES:
1.
NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG
WE HAD A PRIVATE MEETING WITH BECK (COMMISSION) THIS MORNING AT HIS INVITATION. REPRESENTATIVES OF CT AND CRE1 WERE ALSO PRESENT. BECK GAVE US A PROGRESS REPORT ON THE RESUMED NEGOTIATIONS WITH HONG KONG AND TOOK US THROUGH A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE FIGURES ON WHICH HE HOPED WE WOULD BE ABLE TO
SHOW SOME FLEXIBILITY IN ORDER TO REACH A SOLUTION. BECK PROFESSED HIMSELF BROADLY CONTENT WITH THE OUTCOME OF THIS
DISCUSSION AND WILL NOW ENGAGE IN SIMILAR BILATERAL NEGOTIATIONS WITH OTHER MEMBER STATES BEFORE TRYING TO SEW-UP A PACKAGE WITH
HONG KONG BY THE WEEKEND. ONCE THERE IS AGREEMENT ON THE FIGURES
THE COMMISSION WILL MOVE ON TO DISCUSS WITH THE HONG KONG DELEGATION THE OTHER DETAILS OF THE AGREEMENT, NOTABLY THE PROVISIONS FOR EXPORT CONTROL AND EXPORT AUTHORISATION, FOR FLEXIBILITY AND
FOP THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD.
2.
BECK SAID THAT INFORMAL CONTACTS HAD RESUMED ON MONDAY
EVENING AS SOON AS THE HONG KONG DELEGATION HAD RETURNED TO BRUSSELS . THE ATMOSPHERE HAD AT FIRST BEEN DIFFICULT AND
FRAUGHT WITH SUSPICION. BUT IT HAD QUICKLY IMPROVED WHEN THE
HONG KONG DELEGATION REALISED THAT THE COMMUNITY'S OFFER STILL
CONTAINED SOME FLEXIBILITY - INDEED, MORE THAN THEY HAD PERHAPS EXPECTED. AS THE COMMISSION NOW READ THE SITUATION, THE
INSTRUCTIONS OF THE HONG KONG DELEGATION ARE SUCH AS TO LEAVE
THEM TO SEEK AN AGREEMENT. AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS EVIDENT THAT
THEY WERE NOT PREPARED TO AGREE AT ANY PRICE, ON THE FIGURES
VEDENTIAL
| HONG