GR 500
RESTRICTED
HICK 121/12
RESTRICTEDAVID ROAIRY NO. 51
DESK
- 7 DEC1961
FM HONG KONG 050405Z DEC 81
TO IMMEDIATE F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1089 OF 5 DECEMBER
INDEX
mian Taken
No
CGE
8/12
fas Siz
20
INFO PRIORITY UKMIS GENEVA (FOR CHAU), BRUSSELS (FOR BURGESS), WASHINGTON (FOR CROWSON), HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON, PARIS.
MIPT 19
NOTE VERBALE
Ник
See HKK 121/4,
HKK 2||4 12114
THE MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THE MEMBER STATES PRESENTS HIS COMPLIMENTS
TO THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITES AND HAS THE HONOUR TO REFER TO THE QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS MAINTAINED BY FRANCE ON IMPORTS OF THE PRODUCTS FROM HONG KONG LISTED IN THE ANNEX.
2. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS OF THE VIEW THAT THE QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS MAINTAINED BY FRANCE ARE INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND TRADE (GATT) IN THAT:
(A) THEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HONG KONG AND ARE IN CONTRAVENTION
OF FRANCE'S GATT OBLIGATIONS UNDER ARTICLE I AND OF THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLE XIII, IN PARTICULAR PARAGRAPH 1 THEREOF,
AND
(B) THEY ARE NOT JUSTIFIED UNDER ANY SPECIFIC PROVISION OF THE GATT AND ARE IN BREACH OF ARTICLE XI.
THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT THEREFORE CONSIDERS THAT THE BENEFITS ACCRUING TO HONG KONG UNDER THE GATT ARE BEING IMPAIRED BY THE FRENCH QUANTITIATIVE RESTRICTIONS.
3. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT REQUESTS THE COMMISSION TO JOIN CONSULTATIONS ON THIS MATTER UNDER ARTICLE XXIII PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE GATT WITH A VIEW TO THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF THE SAID QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS.
4. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS PREPARED TO SEND A DELEGATION TO BRUSSELS IN THE WEEK BEGINNING 11 JANUARY 1982 FOR THE CONSULTATIONS.
5. THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS SENDING A SIMILAR NOTE TO THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE. A COPY OF THE NOTE IS ATTACHED.
6. THE MINISTER FOR HONG KONG COMMERCIAL RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES AND THE MEMBER STATES AVAILS HIMSELF OF THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW TO THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES THE ASSURANCE OF HIS HIGHEST CONSIDERATION,
RESTRICTED
ANNEX
O
6
1982
1982