CONFIDENTIAL
28134 1
P
DECLARATION MADE BY THE UK ON 28 JUNE 1948 CONCERNING THE
APPLICATION OF THE GATT TO HONG KONG (SEE PARA 8 BELOW) ARE IN MY
SECOND IFT. THE GENERAL TERMS OF THE LINE TO TAKE IN MIFT HAVE
BEEN AGREED WITH THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. YOU SHOULD CHECK WITH
YOUR CHINESE COLLEAGUE THAT HE HAS RECEIVED SIMILAR INSTRUCTIONS
AND THEN TAKE SEPARATE BUT CO-ORDINATED ACTION AT A SUITABLY HIGH
LEVEL WITH YOUR HOST GOVERNMENT. WE HAVE AGREED WITH THE CHINESE
THAT ACTION BY US SHOULD IN GENERAL PRECEDE THEIR ACTION BY A DAY
OR TWO, AND THAT WE SHOULD AIM TO MAKE ALL APPROACHES WITHIN THE
PERIOD 15-20 APRIL. ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN BOTH AT A POLITICAL
LEVEL, AND, PROVIDED THAT YOU JUDGE IT APPROPRIATE, AT A
TECHNICAL LEVEL. IN PARTICULAR WE WISH TO GET OVER AT A
POLITICAL LEVEL THE VERY GREAT IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE FOR
CONFIDENCE IN HONG KONG AND THE NEED FOR ALL CONCERNED TO LIVE UP
TO THEIR POLITICAL EXPRESSIONS OF SUPPORT FOR THE JOINT
DECLARATION BY ACQUIESCING IN THIS PROPOSAL. YOU SHOULD NOT
(NOT) HAND OVER THE TEXT OF THE PLANNED DECLARATIONS. UKMIS
GENEVA SHOULD TAKE PARALLEL ACTION WITH GATT DELEGATIONS AND WITH
AMBASSADORS HILL AND JARAMILLO OF JAMAICA AND COLOMBIA.
6.
FOR NEW DELHI, BRASILIA, CAIRO AND BELGRADE ONLY. THE
CHINESE WILL BE TAKING ACTION WITH YOUR HOST COUNTRIES THROUGH
THE MFA IN PEKING AND NOT IN CAPITALS. PLEASE THEREFORE NOTIFY
US OF WHEN YOU INTEND TO ACT, AND COPY YOUR TELEGRAMS TO PEKING
SO THAT THEY MAY INFORM THE CHINESE.
7.
SEE MY TWO IFTS.
HOWE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT
LIMITED
HD/HKD
HD/FED
HD/PLANNING STAFF
DEP HD/PUSD
HD/PUSD
RD (MR WALKER)
COPIES TO:- MR ROBERTS
MR FIFOOT
MR WOOD
MR PEIRCE
NEWS DEPT
LEGAL ADVISERS
LEGAL ADVISERS
ASSESSMENTS STAFF CABINET OFFICE
MR MALLABY CABINET OFFICE
MR DRC CHRISTOPHER CABINET OFFICE SIR P CRADOCK NO 10 DOWNING STREET
PS
PS/LADY YOUNG
PS/MR RENTON
PS/PUS
SIR W HARDING
SIR J FREELAND
MR WILSON MR CROWLEY
PUSD
·3-
Confidential