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MIPT: HONG KONG AND GATT: STATUS OF HONG KONG'S GENEVA OFFICE
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT LINE TO TAKE.
BEGINE
1.
OUR JOINT EXERCISE TO SECURE HONG KONG'S POSITION AS A
CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT WENT VERY SMOOTHLY. GRATEFUL FOR
YOU CO-OPERATION.
2.
POSSIBLE CHANGE OF NAME OF HONG KONG GOVERNMENT
OFFICE, GENEVA. NO DECISION TAKEN. WISH TO TAKE THIE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLA IN OUR THINKING.
3.
ESSENTIAL POINT IS TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO ALL THAT HONG KONG
PARTICIPATION IN GATT IS GENUINELY SEPARATE, AND NO QUEETION OF
HONG KONG ETILL BEING EUBORDINATE FOR GATT PURPOSES TO UK NOW OR
CHINA AFTER 1997. SOME COUNTRIES EG INDIA, BRAZIL, HAVE ALREADY
EXPRESSED DOUBTE ABOUT POSITION NOW AND IN FUTURE.
4.
WE ARE THEREFORE CONSIDERING HOW WE CAN NOW DEMONSTRATE
MOST CLEARLY THE STATUE OF THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN
RELATION TO THE FUNCTIONE WHICH IT PERFORMS. IN THE GATT IT IS A
SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY, ACTING INDEPENDENTLY FROM THE UK. IT
NOW HAS FORMAL AUTONOMY IN GATT MATTERS, HAVING LONG HAD DE FACTO
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CONFIDENTIAL
Redacted under FOI exemption 27(1)|