GRs 260
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO DESK BY 18110OZ FCO
TELNO 186
OF 180947Z APRIL 1986
CONFIDENTIAL
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, PEKING
YOUR TELNO 314: HONG KONG AND GATT
1.
TOP COPY
DUNKEL (DG GATT) HAS TAKEN UNEXPECTED DECISION TO ATTEND A
MEETING EX-GENEVA AND WILL NOT NOW BE AVAILABLE BEFORE THE AFTERNOON
OF 30 APRIL.
2. WE HAVE INFORMALLY FLOATED THE POSSIBILITY OF MAKING
DECLARATIONS TO DUNKEL THIS SUNDAY 20 APRIL, BUT NEW THER GATT SECRETARIAT NOR CHINESE MISSION ARE KEEN. IN ANY CASE, THIS WOULD RUN COUNTER TO THE IDEA OF A ROUTINE DECLARATION AND THE SECRETARIAT
WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PUBLISH THE DECLARATHONS THE FOLLOWING DAY.
3. IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROPOSED SCHEDULE FOR 23 APRIL IF THE DECLARATIONS WERE MADE TO MATHUR (DEPUTY D-G, GATT). THE DECLARATIONS WOULD HAVE THE SAME LEGAL STANDING AND WE ARE ADVISED THAT DUNKEL WOULD NOT MIND. BUT THE INITIAL REACTION OF THE CHINESE MISSION HIS NEGATIVE.
4.
HT THEREFORE APPEARS TO US THAT WE SHOULD NOW PLAN TO MAKE THE DECLARATIONS ON THE AFTERNOON OF 30 APRIL OR 2 MAY (1 MAY HS A CHINESE HOLIDAY AND HONG KONG OFFICE PREFER TO AVOID MAKING THE DECLARATIONS ON LABOUR DAY).
5. AS REGARDS PUBLICATION OF THE DECLARATIONS, IT WOULD BE UNFORTUNATE IF THE PROPOSED PRESS RELEASE WERE TO ISSUE BEFORE THE DECLARATIONS BECAME GENERALLY AVAILABLE AS GATT DOCUMENTS. IN WEW OF THE TIME DIFFERENCE WITH HONG KONG, IT WOULD BE SAFEST TO PLAN FOR THE PRESS RELEASE TO BE MADE TWO DAYS AFTER THE DECLARATIONS ARE MADE. THIS WOULD BE LESS THAN 24 HOURS AFTER THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE DECLARATIONS AS GATT DOCUMENTS.
SANKEY
HONG KONG AGREEMENT : RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
RESEARCH D (FE)
DEP/HD PUSD
PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL
HKRIJO!!
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY 1 8 APR 1986
A8184
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