GRS 550 CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO DESK BY 13160OZ FCO
TELNO 777
OF 13143OZ MARCH 86
CONFIDENTIAL
76
TOP COPY
INFO IMMEDIATE ATHENS, BONN, BRUSSELS, COPENHAGEN, DUBLIN
NOF IMMEDIATE TH HAGUE, LISBON, LUXEMBOURG, MADRID, PARIS, ROME INFO IMMEDIATE UKREP BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA, WASHINGTON, OTTAWA INFO IMMEDIATE CANBERRA
INFO SAVING PEKING
FROM WILSON.
HONG KONG AND THE GATT.
Han ocotz
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INE.
1 4 MAR 1986
OFFICER
PA
ім
AS YOU KNOW FROM SEPARATE TELEGRAMS (NOT TO ALL), AT THE PRESENT MEETING OF THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP (JLG). AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED ON A PROCEDURE AIMED AT MAINTAINING THE AUTONOMOUS POSITION OF HONG KONG WITHIN THE GATT AFTER T BECOMES A SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION OF THE PRC ON 1 JULY 1997. THE TWO SIDES ARE NOW PREPARING A PLAN FOR CO-ORDINATED APPROACHES TO KEY CONTRACTING PARTIES TO EXPLAIN THE ACTION WHICH THEY
PROPOSE TO TAKE.
2. WE SHALL NOT BE MAKING PUBLIC AT THIS STAGE THE EXACT PROCEDURE THAT WE HAVE AGREED TO ADOPT. HOWEVER IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THIS WILL BECOME KNOWN, OR BE GUESSED AS SOON AS BASIC AGREEMENT ON THE ISSUE BECOMES PUBLIC AT THE CLOSE OF THE JLG MEETINGS ON 14 MARCH. WE SUGGEST THEREFORE THAT IT WOULD BE WISE FOR EMBASSIES IN A NUMBER OF KEY CAPTIALS TO SPEAK AT ONCE, INFORMALLY, TO HOST GOVERNMENTS. THE OBJECTIVE WOULD BE TO GIVE AN ADVANCE INDICATION OF WHAT HAS BEEN AGREED: TO FORESTALL ANY IMMEDIATE COMMENT OR REACTION WHICH WOULD BE UNHELPFUL: AND TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE A FORMAL, CO-ORDINATED EXPLANATION FROM THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
3. IF YOU AGREE, PLEASE INSTRUCT COPY ADDRESSEES OF THIS TELEGRAM TO SPEAK INFORMALLY AT A WORKING LEVEL TO HOST GOVERNMENTS (AND UKREP TO THE COMMISSION) ON THE FOLLOWING LINES (UKMIS GENEVA WOULD TAKE PARALLEL ACTION WITH GATT DELEGATIONS):
A) AS THEY WILL KNOW, THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT DECLARATION ON
THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG INCLUDED PROVISIONS WHEREBY HONG KONG COULD MAINTAIN ITS PRESENT PARTICIPATION AND AUTONOMY IN THE GATT AND
OTHER SIMILAR TRADING ARRANGEMENTS:
B) THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS HAVE NOW REACHED
AGREEMENT ON THE PROCEDURE TO BE ADOPTED TO BRING THIS ABOUT. FORMAL APPROACHES WILL SHORTLY BE MADE BY THE TWO GOVERNMENTS EXPLAINING
FULLY WHAT IS INTENDED:
CONFIDENTIAL
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