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3.
THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RELEASE IN HONG KONG TELNOS 1146
AND 1153 SEEMS TO US TO NEED MINOR FACTUAL AMENDMENT. WE IMAGINE
(GRATEFUL FOR UKMIS' CONFIRMATION) THAT THE DG OF THE GATT WILL
NOT (NOT) ANNOUNCE TO ALL CPS THAT HONG KONG IS DEEMED TO BE A
CONTRACTING PARTY. NOTIFICATION WILL SIMPLY BE BY MEANS OF
CIRCULATION OF THE DECLARATIONS. FURTHERMORE, WE DO NOT
UNDERSTAND THE SENTENCE: 'FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HMG HAS
FORMALLY INFORMED THE DIRECTOR GENERAL ETC'. WE ARE NOT PLANNING
ANY SUCH ANNOUNCEMENT.
5.
TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THESE POINTS WE SUGGEST THAT THE FIRST
2 PARAGRAPHS OF THE PRESS RELEASE SHOULD READ:
'ON (DATE) ALL CONTRACTING PARTIES OF THE GATT WERE
NOTIFIED BY THE GATT SECRETARIAT THAT, FOLLOWING A
DECLARATION BY THE UNITED KINGDOM, HONG KONG IS NOW
DEEMED TO BE A GATT CONTRACTING PARTY UNDER ARTICLE XXVI
(5)(C) OF THE GATT.
IN THE UK DECLARATION, HMG FORMALLY INFORMED THE DIRECTOR
GENERAL OF THE GATT THAT HONG KONG POSSESSES FULL
AUTONOMY IN THE CONDUCT OF ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL
RELATIONS AND OF THE OTHER MATTERS PROVIDED FOR IN THE
GATT. AT THE SAME TIME, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PRC MADE A
PARALLEL DECLARATION ABOUT THE STATUS OF THE HONG KONG
SAR AFTER 1 JULY 1997. HONG KONG WILL HENCEFORTH ASSUME
THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF A CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE
GATT IN ITS OWN RIGHT.'
HOWE
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
CONFIDENTIAL