CODE 18-77
CONFIDENTIAL
Reference...
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HKK 040/24
Inc
RT
13
Mr J Powell HKD
HONG KONG'S FUTURE POSITION IN THE CCC.
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16 1 Please refer to your minute of 13 February with enclosures. Miss Brooks, Legal Advisers, has also seen, and has the following comments concerning paragraph 3 of the draft reply.
2 Apparently, in order to secure membership of the CCC for Hong Kong, HMG would now take the view that Hong Kong is autonomous in its external commercial relations, that it will continue to be so after 1 July 1997, and that after securing the PRC's agreement, HMG and the PRC should jointly lobby the Council for Hong Kong's membership. Therefore, although paragraph 3 would appear to be correct, there are other stages besides making a declaration and we would prefer to see this statement deleted rather than tell only half a tale.
3
Miss Brooks has also made a number of amendments to the CCC Report (see her minute of 21 February to Mrs Klowak) which no doubt will make the position clearer to Hong Kong.
Julie Simmards
J L Simmonds (Miss)
Trade Relations and Exports Department
22 February 1985
CONFIDENTIAL