OCMIAN 9502
CONFIDENTIAL
PP PEKIN
FM FCOLN TO PEKIN
211100Z APR
GRS 769
CONFIDENTIAL
FM FCO
TO PRIORITY HONG KONG
TELNO 1117
OF 211100Z APRIL 87
INFO PRIORITY PEKING
CONFIDENTIAL
11/1
TOP COPY Q DIST ?
49502 1
MIPT HONG KONG AND THE CCC.
1.
FOLLOWING IS DRAFT TEXT OF BACKGROUND MATERIAL WHICH
WOULD BE SENT TO BE BRUSSELS.
BEGINS
FOLLOWING THE ENTRY INTO FORCE IN MAY 1985 OF THE JOINT DECLARATION ON THE QUESTION OF HONG KONG BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT, THE BRITISH AND CHINESE SIDES BEGAN THE PROCESS OF CONSULTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND ITS ANNEXES. THE SINO-BRITISH JOINT LIAISON GROUP, ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE JOINT DECLARATION, TOOK AS AN ISSUE FOR PRIORITY
CONSIDERATION QUOTE ACTION
TO ENABLE THE HKSAR TO MAINTAIN
ITS ECONOMIC RELATIONS AS A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY AND IN PARTICULAR TO ENSURE THE MAINTENANCE OF HONG KONG'S PARTICIPATION IN THE GATT, MFA AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS. UNQUOTE. THUS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EARLY RESULTS ARISING OUT OF THESE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS WAS AGREEMENT THAT HONG KONG SHOULD BECOME A SEPARATE CONTRACTING PARTY TO THE GATT, COMMENSURATE WITH ITS STATUS AS A SEPARATE CUSTOMS TERRITORY HAVING AUTONOMY IN ITS EXTERNAL COMMERCIAL RELATIONS. FOLLOWING THIS AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND CHINESE GOVERNMENTS, STEPS WERE TAKEN JOINTLY BY
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