CONFIDENTIAL
OCMIAN 4923
CONFIDENTIAL
PP PEKIN
PP NEDEL
PP TOKYO
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Mick 122/1
RECEIVED IN RX-
- 23 JUN 1986
DISK OFFICIA
INDEX
PA
201330Z JUN
GRS 347
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY PEKING
TELNO 598
OF 201330Z JUNE 86
INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG, UKMIS GENEVA, NEW DELHI, TOKYO
1407
TOP COPY
44923 1
UKMIS GENEVA TELNO 330: HONG KONG AND GATT
1.
THE INDIANS' STATEMENT (TEXT IN MIFT) AT THE GATT COUNCIL
MEETING ON 17 JUNE THAT THEY RESERVE THEIR POSITION ON HONG
KONG'S GATT STATUS AFTER 1 JULY 1997 IS UNHELPFUL. WE HAVE BEEN
THINKING ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD RESPOND. WE SUSPECT THAT FURTHER
LOBBYING WITH THE INDIANS WILL NOT BE PRODUCTIVE, AND IN ANY CASE
THEIR POSITION IS NOW ON THE RECORD. OUR VIEW, THEREFORE, IS
THAT THE RIGHT RESPONSE WOULD BE A SIMILAR, ON-THE-RECORD,
STATEMENT AT THE NEXT GATT COUNCIL (15 JULY). AS INDIAN DOUBTS
FOCUS ON POST-1997 ARRANGEMENTS, IT WOULD BE FOR THE CHINESE TO
MAKE IT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY CAN SPEAK AT THE MEETINGS
ALTHOUGH THEY ARE ONLY PRESENT AS OBSERVERS.
2.
FOR YOUR OWN INFORMATION AT THIS STAGE, SUCH A STATEMENT
MIGHT CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
'NOTE THAT THE INDIANS RECOGNISE HONG KONG AS A
CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT AT PRESENT. IN VIEW OF
THIS AND IN VIEW OF THE CLEAR DESCRIPTION OF THE STATUS
OF THE FUTURE HONG KONG SAR IN RESPECT OF THE MATTERS
1
CONFIDENTIAL