DSR 11 (Revised)
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SUBJECT:
THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY AND HONG KONG
As you know, Hong Kong has a relationship with the
Community which is unlike that of any other territory.
On the one hand, from a constitutional point of view,
Hong Kong is a dependent territory of a member state,
the UK. But on the other hand Hong Kong does not
enjoy any of the various types of association with
the Community but is regarded as a third country
for the purposes of the Community's external relations;
and, in keeping with this status, Hong Kong pursues an
active commercial policy quite independent of that of
the UK and has separate diplomatic representation
on commercial matters in a number of posts, including
Brussels and Geneva.
2.
This unique and in some ways anomalous situation
gives rise to two practical problems in relation to the
representation of the Presidency in Hong Kong.
The first is that in the list of member states'
representation in third countries (10760/81 (RELEX 84))
Hong Kong is listed as an ordinary third country, with no
indication of its status as a dependent territory.
Given the importance and the 'arms-length' nature
of the Community's trading relationship with Hong Kong,
Enclosures-flag(s)...........
3.
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