Classification
CONFIDENTIAL
OUT TELEGRAM
talee
بادارة
HAY
Caveat
04012
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
19 FEB 1986
DESK OFFICER
INDEX
PA
REGISTRY
Precedence
TELELETTER
ZCZC
1
ZCZC
TC
2
CONFIDENTIAL
CAVEAT
بي
3
FM
FM FCO
го
5
TELNO
OF
TO TELELETTER WASHINGTON
TELELETTER
OF 11130OZ FEBRUARY 86
AND TO
FROM JA SHEPHERD, ECD (E) FCO
101
60)
Acton Taken
Pawell
for this
our ranks 17hl
Seen, on?
M 12/2.
川に
P
l 13
//
/
121
TO BL CROWE, WASHINGTON
13 HONG KONG STATUS IN THE GATT AND POSSIBLE FREE TRADE AREA WITH
14 USA
1.
Thank you for your letter of 6 February. You will by now 16 have seen our reply to Hong Kong's telegram (FCO telno 245) and
their telno 420.
17
18 2. I share your perplexity at this curious US initiative. of 19 course it is consistent with Mike Smith's widely-advertised 20, "plurilateral" approach to trade liberalisation. But (as our
21 telno 245 made clear) it is hard to see what additional 22 advantages might accrue from a free-trade area with a trading 23 partner already affording most-favoured-nation status to
24 all-comers. I understand that Roy Williams took the opportunity
25 to discuss the question with Sir Edward Youde in a meeting this
2 morning. The Governor appeared similarly unclear about what
27 might be in it for the Americans, other than the possibility of 28 using such a free trade area as a negotiating counter with
27 neighbouring NICs (Korea, Taiwan).
YYYY
MAIN
ADDITIONAL
NNNN
File number
Dept
Catchword:
3.
Drafted by (Block capitals)
233 3319
Authorised for
despatch by:
For COD use only
ECD (E)
Initials
JW
Date/time'
11/2 15.00
Comcen reference
A WARREN
Telegram number
! Dy
X Y 48 (REV)