CONFIDENTAL
PUBLIC REACTION
22. RESOLUTION OF HONG KONG'S LEGAL STATUS IN THE GATT AND THE CCC BEYOND 1997 WILL CONTRIBUTE IMMENSELY TO CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG'S CONTINUED PROSPERITY. IT WILL BE WELCOMED BY THE COMMERCIAL COMMUNITY AND THE PUBLIC AT LARGE IN HONG KONG.
PUBLICITY
23. AS THIS ISSUE NEEDS REFERRAL TO HMG AND SUBSEQUENT DISCUSSION IN THE JLG, NO PUBLICITY SHOULD BE GIVEN AT THIS STAGE.
ADVICE SOUGHT
24. MEMBERS WILL BE 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 GATT (WHICH WILL AUTOMATICALLY ESTABLISH HONG KONG'S UNDERLINE NEXT TWO WORDS DE JURE POSITION THEREIN) SEMICOLON AND
(B) IN CCC SPONSORING HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP THEREIN,
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROCEDURE OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPHS 15 AND 18.
HADDON-CAVE
MINIMAL
HRD
FED
ECD (E)
COPIES то
HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE
MR FIFOOT
LEGAL
MISS WILM SHURST (ADVISERS
MR NALLEST
ECONOMIC ADVISERS
MR AJ PRYOR
ده
ITP1/DT
VICTORIA STREET
7
CONFIDENMAL