CONFIDENTIAL
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ORGANISATION: SUCH PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES AS WE ACCORD ARE
GIVEN TO THE 'INTERIM COMMISSION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE
ORGANISATION' WHICH PROVIDES THE SECRETARIAT FOR THE GATT.) A
FURTHER AND WIDER CONSIDERATION, WHICH LEADS BACK TO (A) ABOVE,
IS THE VIEW WHICH THE CHINESE WOULD TAKE OF THE GRANTING OF
PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES TO A HONG KONG OFFICE IN CIRCUMSTANCES
WHICH DID NOT ULTIMATELY RELATE TO BRITISH SOVEREIGNTY OVER HONG
KONG (AND CHINESE SOVEREIGNTY OVER THE HONG KONG SAR).
6.
IN SHORT, WE ARE NOT CERTAIN THAT ALL THE ISSUES RAISED
BY YOUR TUR HAVE YET BEEN FULLY THOUGHT THROUGH. THERE WOULD BE
RISKS ATTACHED TO TAKING PRECIPITATE ACTION WHEN OUR OVERALL
THE ARGUMENTS FOR IMMEDIATE
WE WONDER WHETHER YOU MAY
OBJECTIVES HAVE NOT BEEN MAPPED OUT.
ACTION DO NOT SEEM TO BE COMPELLING.
NOT WISH FIRST TO UNDERTAKE A MORE GENERAL EXAMINATION OF THE
PROBLEM. THERE WOULD EVEN BE A CASE FOR SETTING THIS IN THE
WIDER CONTEXT OF THE STATUS OF OTHER HONG KONG OFFICES ABROAD
SINCE IN SOME CASES COMPARABLE FACTORS WILL BE PRESENT. IT WOULD
ALSO BE HELPFUL TO HAVE PEKING'S VIEWS.
HOWE
:
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
COPIES TO:
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS MR WOOD LEGAL ADVISERS
RESEARCH D (FE)
DEP/HD PUSD PS/MR RENTON MR WILSON
MD/ECD (E)
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Confidential
}