CONFIDENTIAL
31750
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DEPUTY SECRETARY WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR GATT IN THE MINISTRY
OF COMMERCE AND SHIPPING.
3. JOHANNESSEN SAID THAT THE NORWEGIANS COULD BE EXPECTED TO
WELCOME THE PROPOSED ACTION ON HONG KONG'S MEMBERSHIP OF THE
GATT AS AN IMPORTANT STEP TOWARDS PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE DECEMBER 1984 JOINT DECLARATION. THEY WOULD STUDY THE LEGAL
POSITION CAREFULLY AND REVERT IF THERE WERE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS,
ALTHOUGH THIS WAS MOST UNLIKELY GIVEN THE INFORMAL ADVICE
GIVEN BY THE GATT SECRETARIAT. STUGU ALSO FORESAW NO DIFFICULTIES
PROVIDED THE PROCEDURE ENVISAGED WAS, AS WE SEEMED CONFIDENT,
IN ACCORDANCE WITH GATT PROVISIONS.
4. ON A PERSONAL BASIS JOHANNESSEN WONDERED WHETHER IT WAS
APPROPRIATE FOR THE CHINESE, THEMSELVES NOT FULL CONTRACTING
PARTIES, TO MAKE THE DECLARATION ENVISAGED. STUGU ALSO ASKED
A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS, IN PARTICULAR WHETHER THE CHINESE MIGHT
REGARD THE PROPOSED STEP AS EASING THEIR PATH TOWARDS RESUMPTION
OF GATT MEMBERSHIP. HUNT RESPONDED BY DRAWING ON THE DEFENSIVE
MATERIAL IN YOUR TELNO 170. HE STRESSED THAT THE MOTIVE OF BOTH
THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS WAS ESSENTIALLY TO ENSURE
HONG KONG'S POSITION WITHIN THE GATT IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FATE
OF CHINA'S OWN EVENTUAL APPLICATION SEMI COLON AND THAT THE GATT
SECRETARIAT WERE CONTENT WITH THE PROPOSED PROCEDURE.
5. WE HAVE INFORMED THE CHINESE EMBASSY OF THE ACTION TAKEN.
THEY PLAN TO MAKE THEIR DEMARCHE ON 18 APRIL.
BENTLEY
ENDS
HOWE
OCMIAN 1750
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CONFIDENTIAL