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COUNTRY. WITH HONG KONG HAVING AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS

EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE FOR THE

BRUSSELS OFFICE TO BE ACCREDITED WITH EEC DIRECT. HOWEVER THIS

HAS NOT BEEN LOOKED INTO). HONG KONG WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK TO

BRITISH POSTS FOR SUPPORT GIVEN THAT HMG WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR

THE ADMINISTRATION OF HONG KONG UNTIL 30 JUNE 1997. T HE

SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION (SECTION VI OF ANNEX 1) STATES

THAT THEREAFTER THE SAR MAY AS NECESSARY ESTABLISH OFFICIAL AND .

SEMI-OFFICIAL ECONOMIC AND TRADE MISSIONS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES,

REPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SUCH MISSIONS TO THE CENTRAL

PEOPLE'S GOVERNMENT FOR THE RECORD.

PUBLIC REACTION

23. RESOLUTION OF HONG KONG'S STATUS IN THE GATT AND THE CCC

BEYOND 1997 WOULD CONTRIBUTE IMMENSELY TO CONFIDENCE IN HONG

KONG'S CONTINUED PROSPERITY. IT WOULD BE WELCOMED BY THE

COMMERCIAL COMMUNITY AND BY THE PUBLIC AT LARGE IN HONG KONG.

PUBLICITY

24. THIS ISSUE NEEDS REFERRAL TO HMG AND SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION

IN THE JLG. BEGIN UNDERLINING THEREFORE NO FUBLICITY SHOULD BE

GIVEN AT THIS STAGE END UNDERLINING.

ADVICE SOUGHT

25. MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO ADVISE WHETHER AN APPROACH SHOULD BE

MADE TO HMG TO MAKE DECLARATIONS THAT HONG KONG POSSESSES FULL

AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS:

(A) UNDER ARTICLE XXVI 5(C) OF THE GATT AND

IN

(B) IN THE CCC, SPONSORING HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP THEREIN: ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPHS 14 AND 17

ABOVE.

HONG KONG. AND THE GATT: PROPOSED CONTRACTING PARTY STATUS :

ARTICLE XXVI (V)(C)

DRAFT DECLARATIONS TO THE GATT

(A) UK DECLARATION

'I AM INSTRUCTED BY HER MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE

FOR FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS TO DECLARE, IN ACCORDANCE

WITH ARTICLE XXVI (V)(C) OF THE GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TARIFFS AND

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