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CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM NEW DELHI
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 591
OF 25104OZ APRIL 86
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, HONG KONG
OUR TELNO 567: HONG KONG AND GATT
19
WE HAVE SPOKEN TO ABHYANKAR (DIRECTOR IN THE MEA'S ECONOMIC DIVISION) BOTH TO FOLLOW UP THE LETTER SENT TO HIM ON 17 APRIL, AND TO TELL HIM ABOUT THE TIMING OF THE DECLARATIONS (YOUR TELNO
227 TO CANBERRA).
2. HE HAD NO SPECIFIC POINTS TO RAISE, BUT COMMENTED THAT CHINA MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS TO SECURE SPECIAL TREATMENT FOR HONG KONG AFTER 1 JULY 1997. AT THE LEAST, HE SAID THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE SAFEGUARDS TO ENSURE CHINA DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ADDITIONAL QUOTAS SET FOR HONG KONG IN ORDER TO EXPORT GOODS PRODUCED ON THE MAINLAND. EXPERTS WOULD HAVE TO WORK OUT A WATERTIGHT SYSTEM, INVOLVING CERTIFICATES OF ORIGIN AND SO ON. ABHYANKAR GAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE MEA WAS RELAXED. ABOUT THE DECLARATION, BUT THAT THEY WOULD BE LOOKING AT THE SMALL PRINT VERY CLOSELY. HE COMMENTED THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF TIME FOR EXPERTS TO LOOK CLOSELY AT WHAT EXACTLY WOULD BE INVOLVED.
3. WE MADE THE POINTS IN PARAGRAPHS 10 AND 12 OF YOUR TELNO
170 TO CANBERRA.
WADE-GERY
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
DEP HD/PUSD
HD/PUSD
RD (MR WALKER)
COPIES TO:- MR ROBERTS
MR FIFOOT
MR WOOD
MR PEIRCE
NEWS DEPT
LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE
MR DRC CHRISTOPHER CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREETTM
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
SIR J FREELAND
MR WILSON
MR CROWLEY
PUSD
CONFIDENTIAL
HRK 122/1
29 APR 1986
IND..