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CONFIDENTIAL
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
- 3 FEB 1986
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26
RE
SIRY Action Taken
GRS 300 CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKREP BRUSSELS
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 117
OF 151735Z JANUARY 96
INFO ROUTINE UKMIS GENEVA
3
UKMIS GENEVA TELEGRAM NO. 1: GATT, CHINA AND HONG KONG.
1. SO FAR WE HAVE, ON INSTRUCTIONS, LIMITED OUT BRIEFING OF THE . COMMISSION TO FIELDING, THE BRITISH DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF DGI TO WHOM WE LAST SPOKE IN NOVEMBER. WE HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WE WERE
SPEAKING ON A BRITISH/BRITISH DASIS. WE HAVE NOT BRIEFED THE COMMISSION'S GATT SPECIALISTS, OF WHOM FIELDING IS NOT ONE (LYTEN, DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL BELGIAN): APBOTT, DIRECTOR BRITISH, EX-DIPLOMATIC SERVICE). THE COMMISSION REPRESENTATIVE IN CENEVA HAS
BEEN PARTLY BRIEFED (UKMIS TUR).
2. NOW THAT, FOLLOWING DUNKEL'S VISIT TO CHINA, THE ISSUE OF CHINESE MEMBERSHIP OF THE GATT HAS COME TO THE FORE, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TC BRIEF THE SPECIALISTS. THE COMMISSION MAY NOT HAVE MUCH OF A POLE TO PLAY OVER THE DELICATE MANOEIVERING AROUND THE ISSUE OF THE BASIS OF HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE FUTURE. PUT THEY ARE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HANDLING OF THE CHINESE MEMBERSHIP ISSUE. AND, THERE IS CLEARLY A RISK, AND PERHAPS IN SOME QUARTERS THE DESIRE, TO CONFUSE OR LINK THE TWO ISSUES. ONCE THE COMMISSION SPECIALISTS ARE BRIEFED, WE HAVE A MUCH BETTER CHANCE OF PREVENTING THE TWO ISSUES FROM BECOMING ENTANGLED IN AN UNHELPFUL WAY.
HANNAY
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
RESEARCH D (FE)
HD/FED
D/HD PUSD
MR WILSON
ECD (E)
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
MR JOHNSON
MR MADLIN
CONFIDENTIAL
DTI