GRS 270
CONFIDENTIAL
FM UKMIS GENEVA
TO PRIORITY FCO
TELNO 172
CONFIDENTIAL
TOP COPY
HKK122
122/1
RECE
1.6 APR 1986
on Tai
*
OF 1515347 APRIL 1936
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING
133
:
INDEA
YOUR TELNO 169 TO CANBERRA: HONG KONG AND GATT: BRIEFING OF CONTRACTING PARTIES
1.
WE HAVE SO FAR TAKEN ACTION WITH EC MEMBER STATES, EFTA AND ASEAN GROUPS, USA, JAPAN, CANADA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND, IN
HILL THEIR PERSONAL CAPACITIES, AMBASSADORS PARK (SOUTH KOREA), (JAMAICA) AND JARAMILLO (COLOMBIA). WITHOUT EXCEPTION OUR APPROACH HAS BEEN WELL RECEIVED.
2.
AMONG QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN RAISED, ARE THE FOLLOWING:
1) WHAT WOULD BE THE POSITION IF THE CHINESE CHANGED THEIR MINDS AFTER 1997 AND DECIDED TO CURTAIL HONG KONG'S COMMERCIAL AUTONOMY? AND WHAT REDRESS WOULD THERE BE FOR OTHER CPS?
11) WHAT WAS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THIS MOVE AND CHINA'S INTENTION TO SEEK RESUMED CATT MEMBERSHIP AND WOULD THERE DE ANY
PAYMENT INVOLVED?
111) WOULD THERE BE ANY EFFECT UPON THE SIZE OF CPS GATT BUDGET
CONTRIBUTIONS?
IV) WHY WAS HONG KONG NOT MAKING ITS OWN DECLARATION TO GATT?
V) WHERE DID THE INTIATIVE COME FROM TO CHANGE HONG KONG'S STATUS AND WHY WAS ACTION NOT TAKEN BEFORE?
VI) WHETHER THE GATT COUNCIL WOULD NEED TO PASS JUDGEMENT AND THE LIKELY TIME-FRAME INVOLVED.
3.
OUR ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, MOSTLY DRAWN FROM THE LIST OF DEFENSIVE POINTS, APPEARED TO HAVE SATISFIED CUR INTERLOCUTORS.
VE UNDERSTAND THAT THE CHINESE, WITH WHO WE COORDINATED CUR APPROACH OVER LUNCH FOP THE VISIT OF PIER JACOBS, HONG KONG'S
CONFIDENTIAL FINANCIAL
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