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CONFIDENTIAL

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G23450 CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELYO 257

OF 2407552 JANUARY 86

INFO IMMEDIATE UKPEP BRUSSELS

INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA

UKMIS GENEVA COPY FOR WOO

with 04013 @

MY TELMO 215 (NOT REPEATED TO GENEVA AND PRUSSELS) AND YOUP

TELNO 32 TO UKREP BRUSSELS : HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED :

JLG: HONG KONG AND GAIT

Redacted under FOI exemption section 27 (1)

AT THIS

HITH 040/2

RECEIVED IN SEGISTRY

- 3 FEB 1986

REGISTRY

| Aguon Taken

DELICATE STAGE OF NEGOTIATIONS WE WOULD PREFEP NOT TO MAKE ANY APPROACH AT ALL WHICH INVOLVES THE RISK, HOWEVER SLIGHT, OF UPSETTING THE CHINSE AND PREJUDICING THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OUR MAIN OBJECTIVE, WE SHOULD BE GRATEFUL IF UKPEP BRUSSELS WOULD CAREFULLY ASSESS THE RISK OF THE APPROACH PROPOSED IN SECOND TUR BEING LEAKED TO THE CHINESE. IF THE PISK EXISTS IT WOULD IN CUR VIEW BE BETTER TO DO NOTHING FOR THE TE BEING.

2. IF THERE IS NO RISK OF LEAKAGE WE WOULD SUGGEST THAT UKPEP BRUSSELS TIME ITS APPROACH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HO'S PRESENCE IN BRUSSELS ON 3 AND 4 MARCH. HO IS WELL PLACED TO ASSIST IN GIVING A DETAILED BRIEFING ON HONG KONG'S POSITION PARTICULAPLY IN VIEW OF HIS PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT AT THE EXPERT TALKS.

3. WE AGREE THAT AS SOON AS THE CHINESE HAVE ACCEPTED THE PROPOSED ARTICLE XXVI 5(C) APPROACH AND BEFORE THE DECLARATIONS ARE MADE, OUP MAJOR TRADING PARTNERS SHOULD BE APPRAOCHED. THE OBJECTIVE WOULD OF COURSE NOT WE TO SEEK THEIR CONCURRENCE, BUT TO BRIEF THEM ON THE INTENTIONS FOR HONG KONG, AND TO SECUPE THEIR UNDERSTANDING IN ORDER TO FOPESTALL ANY QUERY WHEN THE

DECLARATIONS WERE MADE.

4. WE SHOULD NOT HOWEVE? BE SEEKING A POUND OF SUPPORTIVE STATEMENTS IN THE GATT COUNCIL SINCE IT WOULD BE CUP HOPE AND EXPECTATION THAT THE DECLARATIONS WOULD BE NOTIFIED TO THE COUNCIL MERELY FOR INFORMATION AND WOULD THUS BE ROUTINELY NOTED WITHOUT DISCUSSION OR COMMENT. ANY ATTEMPT TO STIMULATE A SUPPORTIVE DISCUSSION MIGHT ONLY SERVE TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE WHO NIGHT PE DISPOSED TO QUESTION THE ARRANGEMENT.

5. SUBJECT TO YOUR DECISION ON PAPAS 1 AND 2 ABOVE, WE PRESUME THAT, AS ADVISED IN PAPA 7(5) OF UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 1 To You, MEMBER STATES OF EC WILL BE INFORMED BY YOU IN THE CONTEXT OF EC POLITICAL COOPERATION. THE EC COMMISSION AND USA, WHICH IS QUP PRINCIPAL MARKET, ARE THE OTHER OBVIOUS TARGETS FOR BRIEFING.

CONFIDENTIAL

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