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HONG KONG TELNO 1212 AND UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 204: HONG KONG AND
GATT: PUBLICITY
1.
· FURTHER TO TURS, UKMIS GENEVA HAVE INFORMED US THAT NEWS
OF THE DECLARATIONS IS CONTINUING TO SPREAD IN GENEVA. EVEN IF
THE GATT SECRETARIAT HOLD THEIR PRESS RELEASE UNTIL 25 APRIL, THE
CHANCES ARE THAT IT WILL LARGELY HAVE BEEN PRE-EMPTED BY
RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS BY THEM AND BY MISSIONS. IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCES WE AND UKMIS DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD CAUSE
PROBLEMS WITH THE GATT SECRETARIAT IF THE PRESS RELEASE WERE PUT
OUT IN HONG KONG ON 24 APRIL, ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD STILL BE AFTER
THE CIRCULATION OF THE DECLARATIONS AS 'L' DOCUMENTS, I.E. AT
AROUND 0900Z. HONG KONG ARE CLEARLY GOING TO COME UNDER
INCREASING PRESSURE TO MAKE A STATEMENT AND WE SHOULD THEREFORE
LIKE TO OBTAIN CHINESE AGREEMENT TO THE RELEASE BEING MADE AT
240900Z.
2.
WE APPRECIATE THAT THIS MAY BE AN AWKWARD REQUEST FOR YOU
TO PUT TO THE CHINESE GIVEN THE EARLIER EXCHANGES WITH THEM ON
THE SUBJECT. BUT WE HOPE THAT THEY WILL ACCEPT THE IMPORTANCE OF
SAYING SOMETHING IN PUBLIC AS SOON AS POSSIBLE NOW THAT, FOR
1
CONFIDENTIAL
HRR (22/1
SIHY
22 APR 1986
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