CONFIDENTIAL

25581 - 1

ZCZC

MILNAN 5581 OCMIAN 5581

CONFIDENTIAL

PP COPEN

FM FCOLN TO COPEN

261130Z MAR

GRS 273

CONFIDENTIAL

FM FCO

TO PRIORITY COPENHAGEN

TELNO 38

OF 261130Z MARCH 86

HKK 122/1

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

- 2 APR 1986

DESK OFFICI INDEX

PA

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, PEKING, UKMIS GENEVA

TAB3⁄4/4.

·OUR TELNO 35: HONG KONG AND THE GATT: BRIEFING OF CONTRACTING

PARTIES

1.

WE ARE STILL CLEARING OUR LINES WITH THE CHINESE AND WILL

NOT NOW BE READY TO MOUNT THE BRIEFING EXERCISE ON HONG KONG AND

THE GATT IN ADVANCE OF EASTER (AND THEREFORE IN ADVANCE OF PRIME

MINISTER SCHLUTER'S VISIT TO HONG KONG).

2.

IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES SMITH (HKD) GAVE AN ADVANCE BRIEFING

TO KELLAND (DANISH EMBASSY) ON 25 MARCH. HE ASKED THAT THE DANES

SHOULD KEEP THE INFORMATION TO THEMSELVES UNTIL MORE WIDESPREAD

BRIEFING WAS UNDER WAY (AT WHICH POINT APPROACHES IN COPENHAGEN

AND GENEVA WOULD BE MADE BY BOTH US AND THE CHINESE). HE

EXPLAINED IN RATHER MORE DETAIL THE PROCEDURE WE AND THE CHINESE

WOULD BE ADOPTING UNDER GATT ARTICLE XXVI(5)(C) SO THAT HONG KONG

WOULD BE DEEMED TO BE A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY. HE MADE IT

CLEAR THAT BOTH WE AND THE CHINESE WERE CONFIDENT THAT THE

PROCEDURE WAS FULLY IN ACCORD WITH GATT PROVISIONS AND THAT

INFORMAL ADVICE FROM THE GATT SECRETARIAT HAD CONFIRMED THAT THIS

WAS SO. WE HOPED AND EXPECTED THAT CONTRACTING PARTIES WOULD

UNDERSTAND AND WELCOME THE ARRANGEMENTS. KELLAND WAS GRATEFUL.

1

CONFIDENTIAL

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