CONFIDENT NAL
FM HONG KONG
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 1237
OF 25045OZ APRIL 86
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO PRIORITY PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA, BRASILIA
1 602
UKMIS GENEVA PLEASE PASS A COPY TO CARTLAND-
203
UKMIS TELNO 189, BRASILIMA TELNOS 109 AND 112 : HONG KONG AND GATT.
WE UNDERSTAND THAT FOLLOWING #SSUE OF THE L DOCUMENT ON 23 APRIL BATISTA (BRAZIL) QUERIED WITH GATT DEPUTY DIRECTOR-GENERAL THE
PROPRIETY OF THE ARTICLE XXV#(5)(C) PROCEDURE IN THE CASE OF HONG
KONG AND SUGGESTED THAT THERE SHOULD BE A WORKING PARTY. MATHUR ASSURED HIM THAT THE PROCEDURE WAS APPROPRIATE FOR HONG KONG. HE REFERRED TO THE EXTENSIVE BRIEFINGS WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE AND
SAND THERE WAS NO NEED FOR A WORKING PARTY.
2. BATHISTA ALSO QUERIED THE REAL AUTONOMY OF HONG KONG AND DREW
ATTENTION TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES REMAINING WITHIN THE UK
DELEGATION. MATHUR INDICATED THAT THIS MIGHT BE BECAUSE IT WOULD
TAKE A FEW DAYS FOR THEIR ACCREDITATION TO BE ARRANGED.
3. THIS DEVELOPMENT CAUSES US CONCERN SINCE HT INDICATES THAT BATHSTA MAY WELL RAISE THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG'S STATUS AT THE
NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON 22 MAY (WITH SUPPORT PROBABLY FROM ARGENTHA ON ACCOUNT OF THE FALKLANDS),
4. HIN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WE RECOMMEND THAT HMA SHOULD BE ASKED TO INTERVENE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL # BRASIL ÞA, 'INDICATING THE GRAVE CONCERN OF HMG OVER THE POSSIBILITY OF BATISTA ROCKING THE
BOAT AT THE NEXT GATT COUNCIL MEETING.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
DEP/HD PUSD
PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON
HRK 1221!
AL
RY
2 9 APR 1986
AjBi
ken
CONFIDENTIAL
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