RESTRICTED
106160
MDHIAN 573
EC/GATT 5.
CAN BE
THE EDITORIAL WONDERS IF YOU FELT THAT 'THE OUTRAGEOUS PROTECTIONIST POLICIES OF THE EC, AND ITS GROSS CULPABILITY IN HOLDING UP A SENSIBLE SETTLEMENT OF THE URUGUAY ROUND OBSCURED IF OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED IN NEGATIVE REGIONALISM.'' THIS SUGGESTED THAT YOU HAD MORE URGENT MATTERS TO ATTEND TO CLOSER TO HOME THAN ''MAKING DIVISIVE AND UNHELPFUL SORTIES INTO THE ASIAN REGION.''
COMMENT
THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIA ARE OFTEN CRITICAL OF BRITISH GOVERNMENT POLICY ON HONG KONG AND THE GATT. BUT THIS EDITORIAL, FROM AUSTRALIA'S LEADING COUNTRY-WIDE NEWSPAPER, IS PARTICULARLY OFFENSIVE AND TENDENTIOUS. I SHOULD LIKE TO SEE AT THE LEAST THE HONG KONG CRITICISMS AUTHORITATIVELY PUT IN CONTEXT AND PREFERABLY ALSO THE REMARKS ABOUT THE GATT AND EAEC, HOWEVER BRIEFLY. WE TOOK ACTION TO GOOD EFFECT LAST YEAR WITH A SIGNED FEATURE ARTICLE BY SIR J COLES OVER A SIMILARLY TENDENTIOUS ARTICLE IN THE AGE (YOUR 1991 TELNO 494). ON THIS OCCASION, AN EARLY LETTER TO THE EDITOR (RATHER THAN A FEATURE ARTICLE) WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE APPROPRIATE. TO HAVE MAXIMUM IMPACT A REBUTTAL SHOULD PREFERABLY BE ASCRIBED TO A MINISTER OR SENIOR FCO OFFICIAL AND BE AVAILABLE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
BARDER
YYYY
DISTRIBUTION
84
MAIN
83
.HONG KONG AGREEMENT
NEWS D
.(RESTRICTED)
PLANNERS
HKD
RAD
SEAD
UND
SPD
PUSD
FED//HD
LEGAL ADVISERS//MS BARRETT
.AND MS BROOKS
ADDITIONAL
1.
CAOFF//MS D CORNER
PS
PS/MR GOODLAD SIR J COLES
MR HUM
MR MASEFIELD
PAGE 2 RESTRICTED
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