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We would of course be criticised for entering a
reservation on behalf of Hong Kong by those who favour an
immediate ban. But I believe we could argue successfully
that our action was reasonable and fair, and indeed a
necessary interim step towards total compliance by Hong
Kong with the ban. We might also point out that there is
a long established tradition of the Government acting on
behalf of Hong Kong in international fora where Hong Kong
has no independent voice (eg in the GATT before Hong Kong
became a party in its own right). It is our duty to look
after the territory's interests in such cases.
I should be grateful for confirmation that you would
be content for a reservation to be entered in accordance
with the procedure outline above. I would like to make
our intentions known in Hong Kong as soon as possible.