DSR 11 (Revised)
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DRAFT:
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COVERING CONFIDENTIAL
minute/letter/teleletter/despatch/hote
Sir John Freeland
DEPARTMENT:
Legal Advisers
TEL. NO:
TO: H Steel Esq CMG OBE Legal Secretary
Law Officers' Department Royal Courts of Justice Strand
London WC2A 2LL
TYPE: Draft/Final 1+
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SUBJECT: HONG KONG AND THE GATT
We would be grateful if you would consult the Attorney
General about our proposals to establish Hong Kong as a
separate contracting party to the General Agreement on
Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The problem, and our approach,
are set out in the attached Memorandum. The two points
on which we would particularly wish to have the Attorney's
advice are at paragraph 15 of that Memorandum/to the GATT
since it is one of the issues which we are likely to
discuss with the Chinese in the very near future.
It may well be that, having regard to the policy set out
in paragraph 3 of the Memorandum, there may be other
organisations or treaties which pose comparable problems.
We are already aware of the Customs Cooperation Council
where it will be necessary to establish that Hong Kong
"is autonomous in the conduct of its external commercial
relations" and where we will want to take the same line.
I hope, however, that the Attorney's view on the issues
raised in the present Memorandum will avoid our having to
trouble him with further cases raising a similar point.
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