CONFIDENTIAL
GRS 300
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 2139
OF 050315Z JULY 86
Akk 122/1
7 JUL 1286
422
LAP COPY
INFO ROUTINE PEKING, TOKYÐ- UKMIS GENEVA WASHINGTON
UKMIS GENEVA PLEASE PASS COPY TO CARTI ANE
WASHINGTON PLEASE PASS COPY TO LO.
385
OUR TELNO 1698.
HONG KONG AND GATT : JAPANESE POSITION.
MATSUURA, JAPANESE CONSUL GENERAL, CALLED ON OUR SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY ON 4 JULY.
2. HE EXPLAINED THAT FOLLOWING FURTHER ENQUIRIES OF THE U.S. AND THE GATT LEGAL ADVISER, HIS GOVERNMENT WISHED HIM TO MAKE THREE
POINTS TO US FOR WHICH HO THANKED HIM:
A, JAPAN WELCOMED AND FULLY SUPPORTED HONG KONG'S POSITHON MIN
GATT.
B. JAPAN EARNESTLY DESIRED HONG KONG'S CONTINUING PROSPERITY AND STABILITY AS WELL AS PARTICIPATION HIN GATT BEYOND 1997, BUT SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FULL REQUIREMENTS OF GATT ARTICLE XXWB(5)(C) WERE MET IN THE CASE OF OTHER CUSTOMS TERRITORIES TAKING THIS ROUTE #IN FUTURE, AND BY CHINA'S EVENTUAL DELEGATION TO THE SAR.
C. WHATEVER JAPAN'S PRIVATE RESERVATIONS THESE WOULD BE KEPT TO
THEMSELVES.
3. AS REGARDS THE FURTHER ENQUIRIES MADE BY THE JAPANESE, MATSUURA MNDICATED THEY HAD APPROACHED BOTH STATE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS USTR
AND HAD COME AWAY WITH THE IMPRESSION THAT THE U.S. POSITION
REGARDING THE SAR'S POST 1997 POSHTION #N GATT LACKED CLARMITY. LANDEN, THE GATT LEGAL ADVISER, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS QUITE CERTAIN THAT THE CHANGE OF SOVEREIGNTY IN 1997 WOULD NOT AFFECT HONG KONG'S CONTINUING GATT STATUS ON ACCOUNT OF THAT CHANGE.
4. MATSUURA ALSO ASKED WHETHER WE KNEW THE REASONS FOR THE #INDHAN STANCE. HO CONFESSED WE HAD NO IDEA AND WERE ALSO LEFT GUESSHING.
YOUDE
HONG KONG AGREEMENT: RESTRICTED
LIMITED
COPIES TO:
HD/HKD
HD/FED
DEP/HD/PUSD
RESEARCH DEPT (FE)
PS/MR RENTON
SIR W HARDING MR WILSON
MR FIFOOT, LEGAL ADVISERS
CONFIDENTIAL